As the night raged on, the addition of the children of Ares, injected new life into the demigod troops. Even Percy had to grudgingly admit that Clarisse was the real MVP that night. The girl was a one-woman army, wreaking havoc on the enemy forces, even without armour or her spear. She rode her chariot, barrelling through the Titans' army and crushed everything in her path.

Harry and the Hunters backed her up with volley after volley of arrows. Clarisse's siblings hacked and slashed their way through the army, pushing them back past Thirty-fifth Street. Clarisse eventually reached the drakon carcass, looped a grappling line through its eye sockets and spurred her horses. All the while dragging the corpse behind her chariot.

Harry's eyes widened when he spotted a red aura around her, "Blimey! Is that what I think it is?!"

Thalia nodded awestruck, "The Blessing of Ares. This is the first time I've actually seen it in person."

The enemy tried attacking her, but their weapons bounced off, as she was invincible. She roared, "I AM CLARISSE, DRAKON-SLAYER! I will kill you ALL! Where is Kronos? Bring him out! Is he a coward? What's the matter, Titan lord? BRING IT ON!"

She kept charging back and forth as the terrified army retreated. While that was going on, Percy directed everyone to fall back and tend to their wounded. Chris Rodriguez watched his girlfriend and sighed a little exasperatedly, "I'll keep an eye on her. She'll get tired eventually. I'll make sure she comes inside. Oh! In case you were wondering, only Argus and the nature spirits have stayed at camp. Peleus the dragon is also still guarding the tree."

Percy nodded, "Thanks for coming. We would have been toast, if you guys hadn't showed up."

He shrugged, "I'm sorry it took so long. I tried to reason with Clarisse. Told her there's no point in defending camp if you guys die. All our friends are here."

Percy pat Chris' shoulder, "Hey listen, we're going to strengthen the defence around Olympus. When she's done, have her meet us there."

As they walked away and conferred with the other Head Counsellors, Annabeth leaned over, "I've been thinking, the Titan Army is going to have trouble marching to Olympus. They're going to have to go up a few at a time. The giants also won't be able to fit on their own. The bad news is that we can't disable the elevator."

Travis nodded gravely, "I'm guessing that its magic. Usually there's a key card, but the doorman has disappeared. That can only mean that the defence is crumbling."

Percy grimly spoke, "Right… So our objective is to keep them away from the doors. Bottle them up in the lobby."

Connor complained, "How are we going to do that without reinforcements? The Ares campers are great, but it's not enough."

Just then, Percy spotted Mrs O'Leary ambling around outside the building. An idea struck him and he trotted outside. The hellhound bounded over, her tail wagging happily. He scratched her neck gently, "Hey girl, I know you're tired, but I've got one more big favour to ask you."

He whispered in her ear and she perked up and Shadow-Travelled away. As he re-joined Annabeth and Harry, they saw Grover kneeling next to a familiar satyr. Leneus looked terrible. His lips were blue. There was a broken spear in his belly and his furry goat legs were twisted at a painful angle.

He blearily looked at Grover, "Grover? Did we win?"

Grover uncomfortably lied, "Um… yes. Thanks to you, Leneus. We drove the enemy away."

He grinned weakly, "I told you. True leader. True…"

Those were his last words, and his eyes closed for the last time. Harry stepped forward and Grover nodded at him. The teenager placed a hand to the deceased satyr's forehead and chanted in Ancient Greek. When he finished, the body melted, until all that was left was a tiny sapling in a pile of fresh soil.

Grover breathed, "A laurel! Oh that lucky old goat! I-I should plant him. Preferably in Olympus, in the gardens."

Harry smiled, "Come on over, mate."

The elevator ride up was quiet, almost uncomfortably so. Just then Annabeth broke it, "Boys? Listen… You were right about Luke. You tried to tell me. Luke is no good. I didn't believe you. Now I know. I hope you're happy."

Harry and Percy shook their heads, "No Annabeth, that does not make us happy about this."

She leaned against the elevator wall and refused to meet their eyes. Finally, the elevator dinged and they stepped out. As soon as they did, the first thing that hit them was how 'depressing' it was. No fires lit the braziers. The windows were dark. The streets were deserted and the doors were barred. The only movement was in the parks, which had been set up as field hospitals. Will Solace and the other Apollo campers scrambled around, caring for the wounded. Naiads and dryads tried to help, using nature magic songs to heal burns and poison. Even Madam Pomfrey was bustling about, lending aid while she can.

Grover planted the sapling, while the other three visited the wounded. There were a few campers who died, and they all paid their respects. Along the way, they saw Castor and Pollux, the sons of Dionysus. Castor's head was bandaged up, while Pollux had a shattered arm. The latter was also gazing at a particular potion in revulsion.

He called out to Harry, "Dude! No offence, but your potions taste god awful."

Harry replied, "My condolences. Trust me, I know first-hand about potions and Skele-Gro is particularly nasty. How are you holding up?"

He grit his teeth, "I can still fight with one hand."

However, Pomfrey chose this moment to speak up. She snapped, "Absolutely not! You are in no condition to fight! Honestly, even Mr. Potter is more cooperative than you, and he has been a frequent visitor back at Hogwarts."

The four of them left them and continued to the main palace. The bronze doors creaked open. Their footsteps echoed on the marble floor. The constellations twinkled coldly on the ceiling of the great hall. The hearth was down to a dull red glow. Hestia, in the form of a little girl in brown robes, hunched at its edge, shivering. However, there was a new figure in the throne room. Standing at the foot of Zeus's throne, looking up at the stars, was Rachel Elizabeth Dare. She was holding Pandora's Pithos.

She breathed, "I found it. It's Pandora's jar, isn't it? I can see Hope inside it.. So fragile."

Percy was officially creeped out, "Rachel! Put the pithos down!"

That got her attention and she acknowledged him. An idea struck him, "Hey, can you come with us for a sec? There's someone I would like you to meet."

The group made their way over to Hestia. Harry and Annabeth stood at a respectful distance, but within earshot. The goddess smiled at him, "Hello Percy Jackson. It's getting colder. Harder to keep the fire going."

He gave a single nod, "I know. The Titans are near.'

Hestia focused on Rachel, "Hello, my dear. You've come to our hearth at last."

Rachel blinked, "You've been expecting me?"

Hestia held out her hands and the coals glowed. The fire showed various images, though Percy could guess that everyone's was different. It clearly worked for Rachel the tension went out of her shoulders. The warmth of the fire seemed to spread across her.

Hestia told her, 'To claim your place at the hearth. You must let go of your distractions. It is the only way you will survive."

Rachel took a shaky breath, "When I came here… I-I'm not sure I can put it into words. I was drawn to you because… because you opened the door to all of this. I needed to understand my true sight. This is my destiny."

Hestia spoke up again, "Percy Jackson. Rachel has told you all she can. Her moment is coming, but your decision approaches even more rapidly. Are you prepared?"

So many emotions cycled through his face. He looked at the pithos and suddenly had the urge to open it. Hope seemed pretty useless in a time like this. So many dead, Annabeth angry with him, Olympus on the verge of falling. He even witnessed how the gods could be cruel. Victims like Maria di Angelo, the Oracle, even Luke.

Just then, the unwanted voice of Prometheus whispered in his ear, "Surrender, otherwise your home will be destroyed. Your precious camp will burn.

However, when he locked eyes with Hestia, her red eyes glowed warmly. Then he understood what the images in the fire represented, friends and family, everyone Percy ever cared about.

Chris Rodriguez's voice also echoed in his mind, "There's no point in defending camp if you guys die. All our friends are here". He also remembered his dream of Bianca and Nico, standing up to their father Hades. Nico had yelled, "If Olympus falls, he said, your own palace's safety doesn't matter."

He now knew what to do. He gestured to Rachel, "Pass me the jar, will you?"

She reluctantly passed it over. Percy held it out to the goddess, "Hestia, I give this to you as an offering."

The goddess tilted her head curiously, "I am the least of the gods. Why would you trust me with this?"

He replied resolutely, "You're the last Olympian. And the most important."

"And why is that, Percy Jackson?"

He firmly said, "Because Hope survives best at the hearth. Guard it for me, and I won't be tempted to give up again."

She smiled and took the pithos. No sooner had she done it, it began to glow and the hearth fire burned brighter. She said with a proud smile, "Well done Percy Jackson. May the gods bless you."

A supremely stupid idea formed in his head, "Thanks… I'm going to need it. Come on guys."

He marched towards Poseidon's throne. The seat of Poseidon stood just to the right of Zeus's, but it wasn't nearly as grand. The moulded black leather seat was attached to a swivel pedestal, with a couple of iron rings on the side for fastening a fishing pole or a trident.

The chair was too tall for him to reach, as they were used for seating beings who were six metres tall. He called out, "Guys! Give me a hand."

Harry gaped, "Mate! I've done some ballsy stuff, but this is plain stupid! Are you sure about this?"

Annabeth yelped, "Are you crazy!"

Grover also bleated, "Percy! The gods REALLY don't appreciate people sitting on their thrones."

However, he was stubborn, "I just need to get his attention! It's the only way"

Harry and Grover exchanged uneasy glances. Annabeth looked like she wanted to throttle him. The son of Artemis quipped, "Your funeral mate."

He pointed his sword, " Wingardium Leviosa!"

Percy floated up and was soon on the throne. Then as Harry watched, his friend underwent a flurry of emotions. Suddenly the boy flinched heavily, before straightening up. The longer he sat, he began turning pale and his body started smoking. Finally, he slipped off and Grover began fussing over him, "Are you okay? You turned pale and… you started smoking."

He looked at him in confusion, "I did?"

Annabeth looked terrified, "If you sat there any longer, you would have spontaneously combusted, I hope the conversation was worth it."

Just then, the doors burst open to reveal Thalia. She hurried in, carrying a broken bow. Harry quickly fixed it with a ' Reparo', and she breathed, "You guys need to come NOW! The enemy is advancing. Kronos is leading them."

They all rushed down as fast as they could, and when they reached the street, it did not look pretty. Campers, goblins and Hunters were lying wounded, as Dobby and his House Elves worked overtime to pop them away to safety. Clarisse and her chariot were reduced to a frozen block of ice. She was also teleported away, but the big news was the Titan army.

The Titan army ringed the building, standing maybe ten metres from the doors. Kronos's vanguard was in the lead – Ethan Nakamura, the dracaena queen in her green armour and two Hyperborean giants. There was no sign of Prometheus, but Kronos himself stood right in front with his scythe in hand.

The only obstacle in his way was Chiron, who had an arrow pointed at Kronos' face. The Titan spotted their group and glared, before turning back to Chiron, "Step aside little son."

Chiron was a picture of calm, "I'm afraid not."

Annabeth suddenly cried out a warning as the dracaena queen charged. However, his arrow suddenly thwacked her between the eyes and she vaporised on the spot. He reached behind for another arrow, but his quiver was empty. Instead, he threw the bow away and drew his sword.

Kronos advanced and sneered, "You're a teacher. Not a hero."

Chiron acknowledged, "Luke was a hero. He was a good one, until you corrupted him."

Suddenly he bellowed deafeningly, "FOOL! You filled his head with empty promises. You said the gods cared about me!'

The centaur quirked an eyebrow, "Me? You said me."

That got the Titan to pause, and that was when Chiron struck. It was a feint followed by a strike to the face. Unfortunately, Kronos was quick, largely because his host body was one of the best sword fighters. He deftly knocked aside Chiron's blade and yelled, "BACK!"

A blinding white light exploded between the Titan and the centaur. Chiron flew into the side of the building with such force the wall crumbled and collapsed on top of him.

At that moment, the freezing spell that had trapped Percy and company, broke. Annabeth wailed, "NO!", and they all rushed towards where the centaur had fallen. Harry, Grover and Thalia tried to clear the debris, and then it happened. Annabeth practically snapped, "YOU! To think that I – that I thought!"

She snarled and drew her knife. Percy tried to stop her, but she shook him off. She leaped at Kronos, his smug smile melting. She plunged her knife between the straps of his armour, right at his collarbone. The blade should've sunk into his chest. Instead it bounced off. Annabeth doubled over, clutching her arm to her stomach. The jolt might've been enough to dislocate her bad shoulder.

Percy was able to intervene before Kronos could cleave her in half with his scythe. She struggled in Percy's arms and screamed, "I HATE YOU!"

Percy and Annabeth then stared at each other and an understanding passed through them. Kronos chortled, "So much spirit. I can see why Luke wanted to spare you. Unfortunately, that won't be possible."

Suddenly, there was a piercing howl, echoing somewhere from behind the surrounding army. The enemy forces stirred uneasily. Then the strangest thing happened. They began to part, clearing a path through the street like something behind them was forcing them to.

Soon there was a free aisle down the centre of Fifth Avenue. Standing at the end of the block was a familiar giant dog and two small figures in black armour.

Percy grinned, "It's Nico and Bianca! Better late than never!"

Mrs O'Leary bounded forwards to re-join Percy and Harry. Meanwhile, the di Angelo siblings strolled forward at a more sedate pace. The enemy army made a wide berth, as the brother-sister duo radiated death.

Kronos spat on the ground, "Children of Hades, do you love death so much, you wish to experience it?"

Nico drawled, "Your death, would be great for us."

Bianca also said, "You're not the first megalomaniac I've met in the past couple of years, but you won't be the last."

"I'm immortal, you fools! I have escaped Tartarus! You have no business here, and no chance to live."

Nico drew a metre-long sword made of Stygian iron, while Bianca wielded a dagger made from Stygian iron, and the Elder Wand in her other hand, "The Ghost King and the Master of Death don't agree."

The ground rumbled. Cracks appeared in the road, the sidewalks, the sides of the buildings. Skeletal hands grasped the air as the dead clawed their way into the world of the living. There were thousands of them, and as they emerged, the Titans' monsters got jumpy and started to back up.

Kronos bellowed, "STAND YOUR GROUND! THE DEAD ARE NO MATCH FOR US!"

Suddenly, The sky turned dark and cold. Shadows thickened. A harsh war horn sounded, and as the dead soldiers formed up ranks with their guns and swords, spears and even a few wands, an enormous chariot roared down Fifth Avenue. It came to a stop next to the siblings. The horses were living shadows, fashioned from darkness. The chariot was inlaid with obsidian and gold, decorated with scenes of painful death. Holding the reins was Hades himself, Lord of the Dead, with Demeter and Persephone riding behind him.

Hades wore black armour and a cloak the colour of fresh blood. On top of his pale head was the helm of darkness: a crown that radiated pure terror. It changed shape constantly – from a dragon's head to a circle of black flames to a wreath of human bones. But that wasn't the scary part. Percy internally shuddered as the helm reached into his mind and ignited his worst nightmares, and most secret fears. Clearly, the enemy was being similarly affected. Harry, Katie and Penelope also paled when they saw some familiar hooded creatures floating around.

Hades smiled coldly, "Hello, Father. You're looking… young."

Kronos growled, "Hades. I hope you and the ladies have come to pledge your allegiance."

The God of the Underworld drawled, "I'm afraid not. My children convinced me that perhaps I should prioritize my list of enemies. As much as I dislike certain upstart demigods, it would not do for Olympus to fall. I would miss bickering with my siblings. And if there is one thing we agree on – it is that you were a TERRIBLE father."

Hades drew his sword, a double-edged Stygian blade etched with silver. "Now fight me! For today the House of Hades will be called the saviours of Olympus."

The Titan snarled, "I have no time for this!"

He struck the ground with his scythe. A crack spread in both directions, circling the Empire State Building. A wall of force shimmered along the fissure line, separating Kronos's vanguard, as well as Percy and his friends from the bulk of the two armies.

Harry suddenly staggered, prompting Thalia to steady him, "You okay?"

He breathed, "Give me a minute. The prick overwhelmed the magical barriers that I set up. He's cutting off the building and us, from the outside world."

Sure enough, outside the barrier, car engines revved to life. Pedestrians woke up and stared uncomprehendingly at the monsters and zombies all around them. Harry sighed, "Bollocks! This is going to need a mass Obliviate after the war."

Suddenly, Hades charged at the wall of force, but his chariot crashed against it and overturned. He got to his feet, cursing, and blasted the wall with black energy. Unfortunately, the barrier held.

He ordered, "ATTACK!"

The armies of the dead clashed with the Titans' monsters. Fifth Avenue exploded into absolute chaos. Mortals screamed and ran for cover. Demeter waved her hand and an entire column of giants turned into a wheat field. Persephone changed the dracaenae spears into sunflowers. Nico slashed and hacked his way through the enemy, trying to protect the pedestrians as best he could. Bianca was also stabbing other monsters. Harry could even swear that he spotted Lily and James Potter, fighting in the army.

Kronos ordered, "Nakamura. Attend me. Giants – deal with them."

The Titan pointed in Percy and his friends' direction, before ducking into the lobby. All around it was mayhem, Percy was fuming that Kronos had simply bolted like a coward. In his rage, he made short work of a Hyperborean giant. Harry transformed into his dire wolf form and tackled Annabeth out of the way of another Hyperborean. He then leaped up and tore out its throat.

Elsewhere, Fleur Delacour nearly got ambushed by a Hellhound. However, Bill Weasley managed to pull her out of the way before stabbing it to dust with twin daggers made from Celestial Bronze. He turned to the shellshocked blonde woman, "You okay?"

Her pretty blue eyes were wide and unblinking. She breathed, "Tu m'as sauvé…"

Bill didn't hear her, "Fleur, right? Are you okay?"

Suddenly, she tackled him and crashed her lips against his, "TU M'AS SAUVÉ!'

They were quickly separated by Charlie, who smirked, "You two need to work on timing and place, mates. There's still a war going on. You two can snog later."

The newly-formed couple blushed and continued the fight. Back with Percy and company, Annabeth tugged on Percy's arm, "Come on, Seaweed Brain! Let's go stop Kronos!"

The last thing he saw was Mrs O'Leary digging up the rubble where Chiron lay buried under. With that, Harry, Percy, Grover, Annabeth and Thalia scrambled for the elevators.

By the time they reached the 600th floor, the bridge to Olympus was dissolving. Grover immediately began jumping, with the ease of a mountain goat. Harry also bounded across, before morphing back into human form. He then pointed his sword at the trio left behind, " Wingardium Leviosa!"

Sure enough, Percy, Annabeth and Thalia were floated across to safety. They made it to the edge of the mountain just as the final section collapsed.

Grover moaned, "Blah-ha-ha! The connection between Olympus and America is dissolving. If it fails –"

Thalia grimly finished, "The gods won't move on to another country this time. This will be the end of Olympus. The final end."

As they ran through the city, they took in the devastation. Mansions were burning. Statues had been hacked down. Trees in the parks were blasted to splinters. A few minor gods and nature spirits had tried to stop Kronos. What remained of them was strewn about the road – shattered armour, ripped clothing, swords and spears broken in half.

Somewhere up ahead, Kronos roared, "Brick by brick! That was my promise. Tear it down BRICK BY BRICK!"

A white marble temple with a gold dome suddenly exploded. The dome shot up like the lid of a teapot and shattered into a billion pieces, raining rubble over the city.

Harry snarled, "That was a temple dedicated to mum! Oh, he's going down!"

As they sprinted under the marble archway with the huge statues of Zeus and Hera, the entire mountain groaned, rocking sideways like a boat in a storm. Just then, the archway crumbled. Grover cried out a warning, just as a twenty-ton scowling Hera toppled over. Annabeth and Percy would have been squished, if Harry hadn't used the Levitation spell to save them and right the statue.

A fireball erupted on the side of the mountain, right near the gates of the palace. This prompted everyone to run faster to catch up with the crazed Titan Lord. The giant doors had been ripped off their hinges and blasted to pieces.

Kronos stood in the middle of the throne room, his arms wide, staring at the starry ceiling as if taking it all in. His laughter echoed even louder than it had from the pit of Tartarus.

He bellowed maniacally, "Finally! The Olympian Council – so proud and mighty. Which seat of power shall I destroy first?"

Ethan spotted them and warned, "My lord!"

Kronos turned and smiled, prompting a small moan from Annabeth. He asked, "Shall I destroy you first, Jackson? Is that the choice you will make – to fight me and die instead of bowing down? Prophecies never end well, you know."

Percy tried to buy some time and taunted, "Luke would fight with a sword, But I suppose you don't have his skill."

Kronos sneered. His scythe began to change, until he held Luke's old weapon – Backbiter, with its half-steel, half-celestial bronze blade. Annabeth gasped like she'd suddenly had an idea. "Percy, the blade!"

She unsheathed her knife. "The hero's soul, cursed blade shall reap."

Kronos charged at Percy, prompting the latter to defend himself. Ethan tried to get behind him, but Harry and Annabeth intercepted immediately. At one point, Percy was backed towards Hephaestus' throne. He jumped on it, prompting the throne to whirr and hum. Percy reacted instantly, catapulting over Kronos, and just in time too. The throne shot tendrils of electricity in all directions. One hit Kronos in the face, arcing down his body and up his sword.

Kronos crumpled to his knees and dropped his sword. While all this was going on, Grover was playing on his reed pipes. Annabeth saw an opportunity arise. She kicked Ethan out of the way and charged towards Kronos, "Luke! Listen!"

The Titan ignored her, simply flicking a hand, like she was an annoying fly. Annabeth flew backwards, slamming into the throne of her mother and crumpling to the floor. Percy yelled her name, and Ethan scrambled to his feet, only for Harry's dire wolf form to knock him off his feet.

Thalia was also attacking Ethan with a bow and arrow. Kronos rose to one knee. His hair smouldered. His face was covered with electrical burns. He reached for his sword, but this time it didn't fly into his hands.

He groaned, "Nakamura! Time to prove yourself. You know Jackson's secret weakness. Kill him, and you will have rewards beyond measure."

Ethan's eyes dropped to Percy's midsection. Knowing that he could either kill him or reveal it to Kronos, Percy tried for one last gambit. He beseeched, "Look around you, Ethan. The end of the world. Is this the reward you want? Do you really want everything destroyed – the good with the bad? Everything?"

Ethan muttered, "There is no throne to Nemesis. No throne to my mother.

Kronos was struggling to get to his feet, but he goaded, "That's right! Strike them down! They deserve to suffer."

Percy pleaded, "You said your mom is the goddess of balance. The minor gods deserve better, Ethan, but total destruction isn't balance. Kronos doesn't build. He only destroys."

Ethan paused and swayed, as if he was listing to Grover's music. His one good eye blinked. Then he charged, but at the downed Kronos. "Ethan brought down his sword on the Titan lord's neck. It should have killed him instantly, but the blade shattered. Ethan fell back, grasping his stomach. A shard of his own blade had ricocheted and pierced his armour.

Kronos finally staggered to his feet, his golden eyes blazing with fury, "Treason!"

Ethan knew he was dead, he glanced at Percy and pleaded, "Deserve better. If they just… had thrones-"

Kronos stomped his foot and the floor ruptured around Ethan Nakamura. The son of Nemesis fell through a fissure that went straight through the heart of the mountain – straight into open air.

Kronos sniffed, "So much for him. And now for the rest of you."

He went straight for Percy, casually throwing Harry's wolf body back into Thalia. The two were knocked out, while Grover was tending to Annabeth. Meaning Percy was squaring off alone against the Titan Lord. Kronos eventually backed him towards Poseidon's throne. The madman gloated, "Yes! This one will make fine kindling for my new hearth!"

The two clashed again, and Percy managed to create a gash in the Celestial Bronze. He stamped his foot again and time slowed. Kronos backed up leisurely, catching his breath. He examined the gash in his armour while Percy struggled forward. He boasted, "It's too late, Percy Jackson. Behold!"

He pointed to the hearth and the coals glowed. A sheet of white smoke poured from the fire, forming images like an Iris-message. I saw Nico and Bianca down on Fifth Avenue, fighting a hopeless battle, ringed in enemies. In the background Hades fought from his black chariot, summoning wave after wave of zombies out of the ground, but the forces of the Titans' army seemed just as endless. Meanwhile, Manhattan was being destroyed. Mortals were running in terror. The Weasleys were trying to corral everyone to safety, keeping their wands hidden, for obvious reasons.

The scene shifted to terrifying image. A column of storm was approaching the Hudson River, moving rapidly over the Jersey shore. Chariots circled it, locked in combat with the creature in the cloud.

The gods attacked. Lightning flashed. Arrows of gold and silver streaked into the cloud like rocket tracers and exploded. Slowly, the cloud ripped apart, and Typhon was clearly visible for the first time.

Harry took one look and found his new Boggart. Typhon's head shifted constantly. Every moment he was a different monster, each more horrible than the last. He was humanoid, but his skin was mottled green, with blisters the size of buildings and blackened patches from aeons of being stuck under a volcano. His hands were human, but with talons like an eagle's. His legs were scaly and reptilian.

Kronos gave a derisive laugh, "The Olympians are giving their final effort. How pathetic!"

Zeus threw a thunderbolt from his chariot. The blast lit up the world. And even Percy could feel the shock. However, when the dust cleared, Typhon was still standing. He staggered a bit, with a smoking crater on top of his misshapen head, but he roared in anger and kept advancing.

At that point, Percy realised that Kronos' hold on him had lessened, not that he had noticed. As the Titan approached the Hudson River, Percy prayed that his father kept his word.

He didn't have to wait long, as a conch horn sounded from the smoky picture. Percy Jackson didn't even bother hiding his grin. All around Typhon, the Hudson River erupted, churning with twenty-metre waves. Out of the water burst a new chariot – this one pulled by massive hippocampi who swam in air as easily as in water. Astride the chariot was Poseidon, glowing with a blue aura of power. He rode a defiant circle around the giant's legs, ready for battle. The best part was, Poseidon was no longer an old man. He looked like himself again – tan and strong with a black beard. As he swung his trident, the river responded, making a funnel cloud around the monster.

Kronos was stunned to silence, and then he bellowed, "No! NO!"

Poseidon shouted at the top of his lungs, "NOW, MY BRETHREN! STRIKE FOR OLYMPUS!"

On cue, several warriors burst forth from the river. The new combatants rode the waves on huge sharks and dragons and seahorses. It was a legion of Cyclopes, and leading them into battle wasTyson. He'd magically grown in size. He had to be ten metres tall, as big as any of his older cousins, and for the first time he was wearing full battle armour. Riding behind him was Briares, the Hundred-handed One.

The scene was glorious! All the Cyclopes held huge lengths of black iron chains – big enough to anchor a battleship – with grappling hooks at the ends. They swung them like lassos and began to ensnare Typhon, throwing lines around the creature's legs and arms, using the tide to keep circling, slowly tangling him. Typhon shook and roared and yanked at the chains, pulling some of the Cyclopes off their mounts, but there were too many chains. The sheer weight of the Cyclops battalion began to weigh Typhon down. Poseidon threw his trident and impaled the monster in the throat. Golden blood, immortal ichor, spewed from the wound, making a waterfall taller than a skyscraper. The trident flew back to Poseidon's hand.

This was just the impetus that the gods needed. Ares rode in and stabbed Typhon on the nose, Artemis let loose a dozen silver arrows, straight in his eye. Meanwhile, Apollo took the phrase, 'where the sun don't shine', a bit personally, by setting his loincloth on fire with his sun arrows. Finally, Zeus kept pounding the giant with lightning, until finally, slowly, the water rose, wrapping Typhon like a cocoon, and he began to sink under the weight of the chains. Typhon bellowed in agony, thrashing with such force that waves sloshed the Jersey shore, soaking five-storey buildings and splashing over the George Washington Bridge.

To cap it off, Poseidon opened a special tunnel for him at the bottom of the river, all the way to Tartarus.

Back in the wrecked throne room, Kronos snarled and slashed his sword through the smoke, tearing the image to shreds. Percy couldn't help feeling smug, "They're on their way. You've lost."

Kronos then shot him a menacing smile, "Oh? I haven't even started."

He advanced with blinding speed towards Percy. Harry bounded in, jaws agape, and Grover riding on his back. However, Kronos batted them aside and the former hit the ground with a yelp. Even Thalia was swept aside, but Percy was ready. He side-stepped and jabbed under Kronos' guard.

Under normal circumstances, this was a good trick. Unfortunately, this was Luke, and he knew all the tricks, so he countered and disarmed Percy. Riptide skittered away and down the fissure. Before he could strike Percy, Annabeth's voice yelled, "STOP!"

Kronos whirled around and slashed, but somehow, her dagger hilt caught the attack. She stepped in closer for leverage, their blades crossed, and for a moment she stood face to face with the Titan lord, holding him at a standstill.

She grit her teeth, "Luke, I understand now. You have to trust me."

Kronos roared. "Luke Castellan is dead! His body will burn away as I assume my true form!"

Percy was helpless as Kronos had frozen him in time. All he could do was watch in amazement as Annabeth held the Titan Lord at a standstill. The girl grunted, "Your mother. She saw your fate."

Luke snarled, "Service to Kronos! This is my fate."

Annabeth shook her head sharply, "No! That's not the end, Luke. The prophecy – she saw what you would do. It applies to you!"

Kronos took over, "I will crush you, child!"

She insisted, "You won't. You promised. You're holding Kronos back even now."

"LIES!" Kronos pushed again and this time Annabeth lost her balance. With his free hand, Kronos struck her face and she slid backwards.

Percy struggled, but his movement was sluggish. Kronos loomed over Annabeth, his sword raised and ready for the kill. She stared up at him, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. The blonde croaked, "Family, Luke. You promised."

Before Percy could even move, Kronos staggered, and he stared at the knife. He gasped and Luke's voice sounded, "Annabeth… You're bleeding!"

Her arm was clearly broken, and the knife slipped out of her hand, "Percy, my knife."

Percy could finally move and he snatched the knife, knocking Backbiter away into the hearth. Luke ignored him, until Percy stepped in the way, "Don't touch her!"

His expression changed to that of fury and Kronos' voice returned, "Jackson!"

Just then, his body began to slowly glow with a golden sheen. Suddenly he gasped and Luke's voice was back, "He's changing. Help. He's – he's almost ready. He won't need my body any more. Please –"

Kronos staggered away, looking for his sword. Percy tried to intervene, but got pushed away. The boy landed next to Annabeth and she got his attention, "The knife, Percy. Hero… cursed blade…"

Kronos screamed as he clutched his burned hands, and then collapsed. Luke spoke up, "Please Percy!"

Percy staggered towards him with the knife, but Luke correctly guessed his plan. He breathed, "You can't… can't do it yourself. He'll break my control. He'll defend himself. Only my hand. I know where. I can… can keep him controlled."

Percy was about to strike, when Rachel and Harry's words came back to him, ' You are not the hero. It will affect what you do.'

Then he handed the knife to Luke. Grover yelped, "Percy! Are you crazy! You're unarmed!"

However, Luke did not take advantage of Percy's defencelessness. Instead, he unlatched the side straps of his armour, exposing a small bit of his skin just under his left arm, a place that would be very hard to hit. With difficulty, he stabbed himself.

It wasn't very deep, but Luke howled in pain. His eyes glowed like lava. The throne room shook, throwing anyone standing, off their feet. An aura of energy surrounded Luke, growing brighter and brighter. Percy clamped his eyes shut and felt a force like a nuclear explosion blister his skin and crack his lips.

When it was safe to open, Luke was sprawled out at the hearth. Kronos's scythe had liquefied into molten metal and was trickling into the coals of the hearth, which now glowed like a blacksmith's furnace. Blood oozed from his left side, but his eyes were open and they were blue once again.

He croaked, "Good… blade…"

Percy knelt next to him, Harry hobbled over, still transformed. Thalia was draped across his furry back and she was panting heavily. Annabeth limped over with Grover's support. All of them had tears in their eyes.

Luke gazed at Annabeth. "You knew. I almost killed you, but you knew…'

She stammered, "Shhh. You were a hero at the end, Luke. You'll go to Elysium."

He shook his head weakly. "Think… rebirth. Try for three times. Isles of the Blest."

Annabeth sniffled, "You always pushed yourself too hard."

He held up his charred hand. Annabeth touched his fingertips. Luke weakly spoke, "Did you… Did you love me?"

Annabeth wiped her tears away. "There was a time I thought… well, I thoughtso. But now it's clear to me. You were like a brother to me, Luke, you and Harry. But I didn't love you."

Harry transformed back into a human, and Thalia slipped off his back. He turned his sword back into a wand, "I know some basic healing spells. I'll do what I can and we can get you to a medic or a healer."

Luke tilted his head curiously, "Spells? I thought you were a son of Artemis, not Hecate."

Harry rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Yeah… Uh… You see, I come from a hidden society of witches and wizards. Hecate wanted her own community and created the Wizarding World. My mortal parents were witch and wizard, and Artemis helped my mum give birth. After you 'betrayed' us, I may have removed all your memories of knowing that I have magic and that the wizarding world exists."

Luke laughed a little before coughing, "Smart… Can't have valuable intel being sent to the enemy. I'm sure Kronos would have allied with some unsavoury characters from there, if he knew about it."

Grover spoke up, "Luke, we can get you ambrosia or Harry's healing spells."

However, the boy shook his head, "No… There's no healing. Not from this. Listen, I need you to do me a favour. Ethan, me, all the unclaimed, Don't let it… Don't let it happen again."

Together, they all said, "We promise."

Satisfied, his body went slack and the man they knew, was no more. They stayed in silence for a while, and sometime later, it was broken by the arrival of the gods. They all thundered in, expecting an epic battle. Instead, they found four beaten and battered demigods and a satyr, standing over the corpse of a broken half blood. Percy announced to the Olympians, "We need a shroud. A shroud for the son of Hermes."