Warnings: Implicit description of violence and some gore.

Things changed. Over the days, Lupa killed them at least a dozen more times, and all three teenagers began to heal promptly, get faster, react better, and wake up quicker.

Rachel crushed skulls with a single blow. Harry outran Lupa's fastest wolves. Percy scared them away simply by growling at them.

But Rachel hated the sound of bones snapping under her hands. Harry recoiled at the idea of murdering the wolves that had possibly only been bred for war and never expected good lives. Percy felt less human every time he bared his teeth at them.

Still… she grew stronger. He became faster. And he was getting used to his own aggression.

All three had seen each other in various states of mutilation. Harry had lost one of his arms at one point and they'd paused the fight to watch it regenerate painfully, but rather quickly. Half of Rachel's ribs had been broken at one point and she'd sworn she could feel a few of them poke at her lungs and heart. She kept prodding her torso to push the jagged edges of the ribs still under her skin away from her organs. Percy had simply sat down at one point, holding his neck and exposed spine in place while the muscle and skin healed.

By the end of the week, violence had taken on a new meaning.

"I count fourteen in total," Rachel said, examining her bare arm.

"Twenty-seven," Percy said, bent over one leg on the counter.

"Twenty-one!" Harry announced, looking over his shoulder to expose his blemished back to the bathroom mirror.

Lupa's wolves had gone down fighting, ripping, and tearing. Their fangs and claws had left behind sharp scars and raised skin from hasty healing.

"Which one's your worst?" Harry asked, before pointing at his hip. "Look at this, it's still baby pink."

He had a fresh soft patch of skin that had regrown just after the last wolf had torn the flesh away from it.

"Nice," Rachel said, eyes wide.

"Mine's gotta be this one," Percy said, prodding at the wide bite mark on his neck. "It bit in deep before I could shove it away. I had to pick out three teeth!"

Rachel spun around slowly, examining her full body. Aside from their underwear, all three of them were undressed. Teeth marks stained their skin. "Mine aren't that bad. But their claws kept ripping into me when I was still healing."

"Speaking of which," Harry said, facing the mirror and observing his chest. "Remember I had those lightning scars from Zeus's throne?"

"No, we'd totally forgotten you got zapped with a million volts and thrown off of Olympus."

"More like a billion," Harry muttered. He shook his head. "All the lightning marks are gone."

Rachel and Percy squinted at his chest. He was right. Before the wolves, before Petunia shot him, his skin had stark Lichtenberg scars from above his diaphragm extending outwards to his shoulders and hips. But now, his skin was clear of those scars and he was left with light teeth and claw marks over his skin.

Rachel raised her hands. "Destin's teeth marks are nearly gone from my wrist. And this old patch on my forearm? That's Ginny's handprint. She burnt me when we were running away from the giant spiders on the train."

Harry and Percy had been MIA for that event. Rachel had mixed feelings at witnessing her old scars healing, taking away the depth of the trauma.

Percy touched his hair in dismay. The grey-tinted tuft of hair that he'd gotten from holding up the sky had darkened considerably.

"You can always dye it," Rachel said quietly.

"It won't be the same," he sighed. "I'll tell Annabeth later."

Sally found them standing in the bathroom of her apartment, in their underwear. She held baby Kimmy in her hands, staring at the three kids, horrified by the fading scars.

"You're done, right?" Sally asked, her entire body shaking. "Please tell me you're not going back there."

Rachel hesitated. She glanced at Harry and Percy. Finally, they were in sync.

They were back at the Wolf House the next day.

NEVADA WEST PIZZA JOINT
Eat 12 burgers in 20 minutes and win a lifetime supply of our house hamburgers!*

It was a small, run-down place outside Reno. With its failing business, Destin was sure the store could not afford to give anyone a lifetime supply of anything.

"What's the asterisk for, ma'am?" he asked the waitress behind the bar. She was a plump Black woman in her sixties who seemed less than impressed with the scrawny teenager (or man) who'd wandered into the joint. Her name tag read, 'Daisy.'

"Hmm?" she grumbled, frowning at the sign he was pointing to. "That? Yeah, that just applies to the double bacon and cheese hamburgers. You can't skimp out on the fillings."

"How much for one?" Destin asked, smiling. He sat on the rickety, rolling bar stool.

"$9.99"

Destin whistled. "And how much for the 12 burger deal?"

Daisy the waitress didn't look up from her phone. "$50. But I'd advise you against it, kid."

Destin blinked, wide-eyed. "Ma'am?"

She just raised her eyebrows, smacking her lips, annoyed.

"She thinks you're too scrawny!" a patron yelled from the other end of the bar. "And you are!"

The pizza place was small, sure. Only the locals frequented its cramped space, leather peeling booths, and floor cleaner smell from the cracked linoleum. All eyes had been on Destin when he'd walked in. His clothes were weather-worn and just as frayed as the store, but his personality was too bright and fresh.

"Wanna bet, sir?" Destin called, still grinning. "You pay for my meal and I'll eat up all twelve burgers in less than 20 minutes."

Half the shop burst out laughing. Daisy stared at him, unamused.

"I'll take that bet!" the man shouted. "You lose and you'll pay for both your meal and mine!"

"Deal!" Destin said, reaching over and shaking his hand.

In a few minutes, the House special was brought in front of Destin. He tucked the napkin into his shirt collar, ignored the cutlery, and picked up the first burger which barely fit into his average-sized hands with piano fingers. A few of the regulars eagerly gathered around him, watching.

He polished the burger within two minutes.

He scarfed down the next in less than a minute. The smiles all around him vanished as did the burgers.

Destin licked the plate clean after munching on the twelfth. He still had a few minutes to go on the clock.

"Whew!" he groaned, stretching his arms over his head. "Hope you enjoyed the show, folks!"

The guy who'd bet with him grumpily paid for the meal. Daisy picked up Destin's empty plate, still stunned.

The crowd dispersed but Destin's smile remained. He whispered to Daisy, "Ma'am, I guess this place can't really afford a free supply of burgers, right?"

"What d'ya think?!" she snapped.

He raised his arms, palms facing her. "I mean, I can waive the free stuff if you give me a large pineapple pizza with ghost pepper chilli sauce. And a free pizza delivery outfit. With the hat."

She scowled at him. "What for?"

Destin smiled, his sharp eyes gleaming. "It's for a friend."

Piper dreamed she was in Medea's department store, in the presence of a deity.

The goddess was gorgeous—shoulder-length hair, a graceful neck, perfect features, and an amazing figure tucked into jeans and a snowy white top.

She was elegant without trying, fashionable without effort, stunning without makeup. Yet as Piper watched, the woman's appearance changed. Piper couldn't decide the colour of her eyes or the exact color of her hair. The woman became more and more beautiful as if her image were aligning itself with Piper's thoughts—getting as close as possible to Piper's ideal of beauty.

"Aphrodite," Piper said. "Mom?"

The goddess smiled. "You're only dreaming, my sweet. If anyone wonders, I wasn't here. Okay?"

"I—" Piper wanted to ask a thousand questions, but they all crowded together in her head.

"Why didn't you claim me at thirteen?" she finally asked.

Aphrodite smiled. "Because you, my daughter, see possibilities much more vividly than others. You have a far greater play in this war. I couldn't risk losing you when the Titans' rebelled."

The goddess gestured around the store. "You and your friends have other trials to face, first. Medea will be back, along with many other enemies. The Doors of Death have opened."

"What do you mean?"

Aphrodite winked at her. "You're a smart one, Piper. You know."

A cold feeling settled over her. "The sleeping primordial, the one Medea, and Midas called their patron. She's managed to open a new entrance from the Underworld. The monsters are coming back from Tartarus the same way. That's why they don't stay disintegrated."

"Yes. Their patron, as you call her, has a special relationship with Tartarus, the spirit of the pit." Aphrodite held up a gold sequined top from the rack. "No… this would make me look ridiculous."

Piper laughed uneasily. "You? You can't look anything but perfect."

"You're sweet," Aphrodite said. "But beauty is about finding the right fit, the most natural fit. To be perfect, you have to feel perfect about yourself—avoid trying to be something you're not. For a goddess, that's

especially hard. We can change so easily."

"My dad thought you were perfect." Piper's voice quavered. "He never got over you."

Aphrodite's gaze became distant. "Yes… Tristan. Oh, he was amazing. So gentle and kind, funny and handsome. Yet he had so much sadness inside."

"Could we please not talk about him in the past tense?"

"I'm sorry, dear. I didn't want to leave your father, of course. It's always so hard, but it was for the best. If he had realized who I actually was—"

"Wait—he didn't know you were a goddess?"

"Of course not." Aphrodite sounded offended. "I wouldn't do that to him. For most mortals, that's simply too hard to accept. It can ruin their lives! Ask your friend Jason—lovely boy, by the way. His poor mother was destroyed when she found out she'd fallen in love with Zeus twice! No, it was much better Tristan believed that I was a mortal woman who left him without explanation. Better a bittersweet memory than an immortal, unattainable goddess. Which brings me to an important matter…"

She opened her hand and showed Piper a glowing glass vial of pink liquid. "This is one of Medea's kinder mixtures. It erases only recent memories. When you save your father, if you can save him, you should give him this."

Piper couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You want me to dope my dad? You want me to make him forget what he's been through?"

Aphrodite held up the vial. The liquid cast a pink glow over her face. "Your father acts confident, Piper, but he walks a fine line between two worlds. He's worked his whole life to deny the old stories about gods and spirits, yet he fears those stories might be real. He fears that he's shut off an important part of himself, and someday it will destroy him. Now he's been captured by a giant. He's living a nightmare. Even if he survives… he still dreams of Pandora. My dear, that's a death sentence if there ever was one. Our enemy will break him, and thus break your spirit."

Piper wanted to shout that Aphrodite was wrong. Her dad was the strongest person she knew! But somehow she couldn't stay angry with Aphrodite. She remembered what her dad had said months ago, at the beach at Big Sur: If I really believed in Ghost Country, or animal spirits, or Greek gods... I don't think I could sleep at night. I'd always be looking for somebody to blame.

Now Piper wanted someone to blame, too.

The goddess said. "You see? My point is that love is the most powerful motivator in the world. It spurs mortals to greatness. Their noblest, bravest acts are done for love."

Piper pulled out her dagger and studied its reflective blade. "Like Helen starting the Trojan War?"

"Ah, Katoptris," Aphrodite smiled. "I'm glad you found it. You can tell a lot about someone from their objects of power."

Piper touched the flat edge of her dagger. She didn't really consider this like an focus of her power. Katoptris was a weapon that kept her alive. And gave her visions. And showed her weird reflections sometimes.

Aphrodite's eyes glinted in the low light. "Do not underestimate it, Piper, darling. I certainly don't let anyone give me flack for my power. Of course, I have just one object of power."

At Piper's confused expression, she explained, "My throne on Olympus, dear. Some gods have more than one. Their weapons and seats hold more divinity than you can assume."

Piper nodded slowly. "Jason mentioned how Z… the king's throne is…"

"Flaking away?" Aphrodite suggested when Piper had trailed off. "Yes… Father is far away and his power in the throne is slowly waning."

The demigod stifled her gasp. "That can happen?"

Aphrodite raised a perfectly styled eyebrow. "Sweetheart, it is happening as we speak. All four of Zeus's objects of power are in great danger. The Earth Goddess has expected this. She has taken the Master Bolt away and imprisoned my father far away from all of us."

Zeus has four objects? Holy hell!

Piper exhaled. "So we need to find him and the bolt too, right?"

Aphrodite didn't answer right away. Her eyes flickered down to the dagger as she spoke, "I think you need to focus on your father, Piper. Your dreams will lead you to the queen."

"You think I know the way?" she asked nervously.

"Oh, yes! You see, Piper, my children can be quite powerful. My lineage is unique. I am closer to the beginning of creation than any other Olympian."

Piper struggled to remember about Aphrodite's birth. That's right, the goddess was formed from the remains of Ouranos after Kronos had killed him. "So, you're—"

"The last child of Ouranos, who was greater than the gods or the Titans. So, in a strange way, I'm the eldest Olympian god. As I said, love is a powerful force. I understand that our race of Olympians may be standing on our last legs. My father, Zeus, has not responded in a while. I fear… immortality is supposed to last forever, you know? But times have changed. Definitions adapt to what the mortals believe. And with the destruction of nature itself, the earth itself is rising to wage war on us."

Aphrodite steeled herself. "And so… I've taken precautions."

Piper's nerves tingled. "Precautions?"

"In case we lose, my dear," the goddess hummed. "I have made sure my bloodline will not fail. But that is a last resort, I suppose."

Bloodline, she'd said. Not ichor?

Piper gazed up at her mother, this distant, unattainable goddess. For a mere moment, Aphrodite had seemed vulnerable.

"You're saying there's a chance," she whispered, "that the gods may perish?"

Aphrodite's form flickered. "Gods are not eternal, Piper. Nothing lasts forever. Except for Chaos, I suppose. Ask your friends back at camp. They have witnessed the fading of Lord Pan. He held on for millennia but succumbed finally. I fear more immortals will cease to be before this war is done with."

"You took precautions," Piper mumbled. "Against Gaia? Mother Earth?"

"Do not underestimate her," Aphrodite warned. "She is a cruel deity. She orchestrated Ouranos's death. She gave Kronos the sickle and urged him to kill his own father. While the Titans ruled the world, she slumbered in peace. But when the gods overthrew them, Gaea woke again in all her anger and gave birth to a new race—the giants—to destroy Olympus once and for all."

"And it's happening again," Piper said. "The rise of the giants."

Aphrodite nodded. "Now you know. What will you do?"

Piper's vision dimmed. The last vision of her mother faded into the air.

Piper awoke in California, rattled. She was still clutching the pink vial in her hand: the amnesia potion for her dad.

It was 9 a.m. on December 21, the winter solstice, which gave them three hours until Enceladus's deadline.

By the time Jason, Leo, and Piper took a cab to the base of Mount Diablo. From there, they scaled the side of the mountain. It was hard work for hours. Finally, Jason crouched behind a wall of rock. He gestured for the others to do the same. Leo crawled up next to him. Piper joined them stiffly. They hid in the shadow of the mountain's final crest, was a forested depression about the size of a football field, where the giant Enceladus had set up camp.

Trees had been cut down to make a towering purple bonfire. The giant Enceladus was simply large and horrible. He was thirty feet tall—easily as tall as the treetops. From the waist up, the giant appeared humanoid, his muscular chest clad in bronze armor. His skin was bronze but sooty with ash. His face was crudely shaped, like a half-finished clay figure, but his eyes glowed white, and his hair was matted in shaggy dreadlocks down to his shoulders, braided with bones.

His legs were scaly green, with claws instead of feet—like the forelegs of a dragon. In his hand, Enceladus held a spear the size of a flagpole. Every so often he dipped its tip in the fire, turning the metal molten red.

Piper choked back a sob. "Look."

Just visible on the other side of the bonfire was a man tied to a post. His head slumped like he was unconscious, so Leo couldn't make out his face, but Piper didn't seem to have any doubts.

"Dad," she said.

Leo swallowed. Tristan McLean was half dead and about to be eaten. The only people who could stop it—three fashionably dressed teenage demigods.

"The giant's alone," Jason murmured, surprised. "Maybe we can do this."

"Did you miss the fact that he's thirty feet tall?" Leo asked.

"I hate to say it," Jason sighed, "but a distraction is Piper's best chance."

Their best chance fizzled out when two others walked onto the field. Leo heard Piper practically whimper at the sight of a man and woman, looking remarkably mortal compared to the giant.

"Wait," Jason murmured. "Is that…?"

"Ajax," Piper whispered.

Leo's stomach flipped. "Um, like Ajax who through that wizard dude off of Olympus? The guy who shot the Oracle? That Ajax?"

"Jane's with him," Piper said in disbelief. "What the hell?"

Leo turned back to the scene. Ajax was tall. He wore a camo jacket over black t-shirt and trousers. He wouldn't have been out of place ar a gun convention. The arms on Leo's arms stood at attention. Something about the man just set off red flags worse than Medea.

If Ajax was here, there was no way they'd be able to escape with Tristan easily.

"We need a big distraction," Leo muttered. "Like an explosion or something."

"Good idea," Coach Hedge said.

"Aargh—mmphh!" Leo jumped as Hedge and Mellie the cloud nymph leaped back, surprised. Piper slapped her hand over Leo's mouth and everyone froze in terror.

The voices from the clearing below had stopped.

Then they heard a strangely jaunty voice, "Destin's Pizza for delivery!"

"What the hell's happening?!" Jason mouthed furiously. "Where did you both drop down from?!"

"Mellie helped us sneak up here," Hedge defended himself. "I knew you three would need backup!"

"Coach, the quest's supposed to have three, not five!" Leo complained, moving Piper's hand away.

"Even better," Hedge said, grinning wildly. "We have six!"

Leo didn't get it. He saw Mellie gesturing back to the cliff to peer over to the clearing. Then he got it.

They already had a distraction in the works. A pizza guy was in the clearing, talking in rapid fire to Ajax, Jane, and Enceladus. He held up a large box and opened it for the villains to peek at it, confused.

"That's Destin," Hedge explained like it made sense.

"Who?" Piper asked.

"He helped us," Mellie whispered. "He's distracting them long enough for us to get to your father, Piper McLean."

Hedge patted Jason. "When you see the signal, send a lightning bolt to the giant's ear."

The demigods frowned. Jason whispered, "What signal?"

"One large pineapple and cheese pizza, coated with chili sauce, jalapenos, and oregano!" the delivery guy rattled off. "That'll be $24.99, sir."

Ajax scowled. "Ency, did you actually order pizza?"

"What, of course not!" the giant roared. "Why on Mother Earth would I purchase a greasy, disgusting, mortal invention? Why would I pay actual gold to get…"

He trailed off when the delivery guy opened the box and the sweet scent of cheesy pineapple slathered in sauce wafted up to the giant.

Enceladus leaned down close to sniff at it. "Uh, how much did you say it is?"

"$24.99, sir," the delivery man said, unphased by the staggering aura of the giant. Perhaps he just saw a bodybuilder.

Enceladus turned his huge mishappen head towards Ajax. "Spot me, bro?"

Ajax's eye twitched. "Those demigods are due to make an appearance, you realise?"

"I'll still have space in my belly after the pizza!" the giant complained.

"Is it possible, perhaps, that this mortal is a distraction?" Ajax fumed.

Enceladus thought about it. "Nah, they wouldn't waste money on such a delicious distraction."

Ajax eyed Jane, Tristan McLean's assistant, who had been helping them set up a few things from Medea's end. Even since the sorcerer's department store had burned down, Jane's compliance had wavered.

"Jane," Ajax called. "Anything you wanna add?"

"No, sir," Jane said, gulping.

"Did you secure the boundaries?"

"I did, sir! The telekhines were all over it."

"Then how did this mortal wander in here?"

Jane blinked. She turned to the delivery guy and asked, "How did you wander here?"

"I walked in through the gate," he answered. "This pizza's getting cold, ma'am. And I need to get going so…"

"Who sent you?" Ajax asked, advancing on to him.

"My boss," he said, unflustered.

"What's your name?"

"Destin Autis."

Ajax stopped in his tracks. "Autis?"

In response, Destin grabbed the back of Ajax's neck and shoved the pizza into his face. Hot ghost pepper chili sauce leaked into his eyes and the immortal spluttered, disoriented for half a second.

Destin dropped the pizza, grabbed Ajax's neck, and snapped it hard. His bones broke and the man immediately went limp.

Then Destin heaved him up and threw Ajax westwards.

Enceladus blinked, watching him disappear into the Pacific's horizon, miles away. Jane finally showed more emotion than she had all year, shrieking her head off as she ran away.

"Traitorous pizza-man!" Enceladus roared, raising his immense spear high up, but a lightning bolt erupted from the cliffside behind him, striking him in the ear.

With a cataclysmic boom, the giant was rocketed off course. Destin threw himself to the side as the giant crashed down on his knees. The earth shook in response and rocks tumbled down the sides of steep cliffs.

"We have five minutes, kiddos!" Destin sang maniacally, raising his voice for the demigods, satyr, and the cloud nymph. "Get McLean and Hera!"

Annabeth touched Percy's hair.

He'd gone to CHB after another round of Dancing with the Wolves that Lupa lovingly sponsored. Harry and Rachel went with him. All three had the inexplicable urge to stick together for a while. But thankfully, they stayed back at the mess hall to talk to Thalia and Chiron while Annabeth took Percy aside to examine him.

"You changed," she whispered.

"Sorry," he said.

She kissed his cheek. "Don't be. If you say it's the right thing to do, then it is."

Percy nodded, grateful for her. He'd been worried that Annabeth would not be able to accept his new trajectory. Maybe she'd goggle at his fading scars and wonder if he was still her Percy. He wanted to be. He'd do anything to be with her.

But Percy had to be different to get stronger and better.

No longer a demigod.

Annabeth tilted her head back and leaned up to kiss him. Percy ignored the snickering from the mess hall and pressed his lips to her. She was soft and eager and he wound his arms around her waist, lifting her off the ground enthusiastically.

"Get a cabin!"

"No, don't get a cabin!"

"Eww!"

"Holy Hera!"

Indeed, the last person was more or less accurate. A blinding flash of light illuminated the evening, startling everyone in the vicinity. The light died down revealing five people standing on the dinner tables, and one cloud nymph floating over them.

The silence broke when someone gasped, "Oh, my gods! It's Tristan McLean!"

Cheer yourself up imagining chili sauce dripping from Ajax's furious face. Stay tuned, folks!

Cabba K.