Percy sat by the docks, holding the golden drachma in his palm. He sighed heavily.

"Calypso."

He flipped the coin into the morning sky, where it promptly disappeared against the silhouette of the rainbow. An image shimmered into reality. Calypso was there in the cottage, sleeping peacefully. Percy smiled. If it was the same time on Ogygia, then the curse really had been broken. Either that or that it was just a really big coincidence. He kept quiet for a couple minutes until the image disappeared. He mouthed a 'thank you' to Iris.

Percy tapped his finger. He was the only one on Mount Olympus except for Hestia, whom he had started to talk to very frequently. Camp-Half Blood would be here soon, marching through the streets of New York in old battle armor. He wondered what the mist would make it look like to mortals.

Percy wanted to see his mom, but knew it would be best to wait until Kronos had been defeated. If he told her what was happening, he knew she wouldn't be able to stop herself from helping. This was way too dangerous for a mortal.

Hestia, as usual, was sitting by the hearth. The light turned the cold blue walls a bright orange, filling the emptiness with a little bit of warmth. Sometimes it felt incredibly lonely, even more than when he was on Ogygia. There were so many people here–friends, family, strangers–but Percy felt a million miles away from them all.

"Good morning, Perseus. Did you rest well?"

"Not really."

Percy took a seat next to her.

"Does it always feel like this?"

"Sometimes. And other times, no. Immortality dulls your senses. I cannot remember the last time I felt fear or happiness like I did when I was born…but perhaps that is the burden we must bear."

There was silence.

"Do you ever wish you could be mortal?"

"Every morning and every night." Hestia spoke softly.

The campers arrived later that evening, with a few of the Ares cabin taking the elevator to Olympus. They would be the last line of defense should Kronos's forces make their way here.

"We need demigods here–and another group to cover our flank. And the Apollo cabin needs to watch the skies–Kronos will have more than just a ground assault."

Percy sat around the table with Beckendorf, Clarisse, Will, and Annabeth, and many other demigods, all of whom were leading their respective cabins. None of them looked particularly excited. Annabeth stayed mostly quiet, staring at the wall behind him.

"Beckendorf, how much ammo can the Hephaestus cabin make before nightfall?" Will tapped his foot anxiously.

"Like arrows?"

"Yeah. Specifically magic ones. Those sonic arrows are a real killer."

"A few hundred–if we get Keldeo working on it."

"Hey, don't forget about us!" Clarisse leaned forward, pointing her finger at the table. "The Ares cabin needs new armor and weapons. All our old gear got destroyed in the raids."

"If we could, we would," Beckendorf said, "but we don't have any materials."

"There's plenty on Olympus," Percy said. "The forges are filled with celestial bronze. I'm sure Hephaestus won't mind."

Beckendorf smirked. "Now that's what I'm talking about!"

"Annabeth, is there anything we're missing?"

She stared blankly.

"What about Kronos? And the other titans?"

Percy took a deep breath.

"That's my job. It's too dangerous for anyone else. If I need your help, I'll call on you guys. And you know we don't have any demigods to spare. We're already spread thin as it is."

Annabeth crossed her arms. The other demigods looked at each other, sensing the obvious tension in the air.

"Ok! Let's get going, people! There's no time to waste. We need to be ready before Chiron comes back with his brothers!"

Everyone got up except Annabeth. Percy waited for them to leave before he spoke.

"Annabeth, is everything alright?"

"No, Percy. It isn't. And as long as I'm a demigod, I don't think it will be."

"I know. But if it's any consolation, being a god doesn't really help. I'm still just as terrified. Some of these people…you know we're not going to see them again."

"Will you kill him?" Annabeth asked.

Percy took a deep breath.

"I have no choice."

She nodded.

"Then…it's a good thing you're the one fighting him. I don't think I could do it."

Percy drew her into a hug.

"It's time to go," he said.

"I know," Annabeth responded. "Will I see you again?"

"Maybe. Look away."

Annabeth shielded her eyes. In the blink of an eye, Percy was gone, back in his room on Olympus. He took off his father's bead necklace, placing it gently on the bedside table. Poseidon had given it to him so many years ago. Suddenly, he understood why the gods were always so miserable. Percy didn't have any armor, which was fine with him since never really liked wearing it anyway. All he had was Anaklusmos.

Some demigod scouts had discovered that the titan Hyperion was among Kronos's army. Hestia had also told him Oceanus was launching an assault against Poseidon's underwater kingdom, but there was little he could do until Kronos was defeated.

Percy waited by his terrace, looking down at New York. The tree nymphs and nature spirits were casting a spell on Manhattan, causing everyone to fall asleep. When Percy went down to inspect the new gear, everything was eerily quiet. All the cars stopped moving and all the voices went silent, like a storm was right on the horizon.

Everyone was waiting at their posts. Percy led the Ares and Athena cabins, who for the first time in his life were actually fighting together. They were even cracking jokes, albeit some of them at the expense of the other. He couldn't help but smile. Both cabins were a force to be reckoned with—and now that they were working together, with new gear…it certainly wouldn't be easy for Kronos's army. He took Riptide out of his pocket and uncapped it, the celestial bronze shining in the morning light. There was a tingling sensation in his spine, and instinctively he held the blade out in front of him. Percy had noticed recently that he could feel other people's presence, especially if they were powerful.

As if on cue, a familiar looking silhouette rose into view above the street. Percy gave a signal to Will, who was on the rooftops with the rest of the Apollo kids. The demigods immediately switched their attention to the figure in front of them. Percy immediately recognized the creature: long fur, big diaper, one big horn, and a gap where the other one should be—it was the Minotaur. Behind him was a massive battalion of monsters, all looking very unhappy and uncharacteristically organized. There was no sign of Kronos or Hyperion.

Percy decided he would take out the Minotaur first, for old times sake. There was only one way up to Olympus, and so long as he stayed close by, he would be able to sense the presence of the titans if they tried a sneak attack.

"For Camp!" Percy yelled, charging into the sea of monsters. And Calypso, he thought to himself. The rest of the campers let out a battle cry, booming through the streets of Manhattan.

Percy felt faster, as if he were weightless. His strikes were powerful enough to push the Minotaur back. The monster who had once been his greatest adversary fell in a matter of seconds, reduced to a pile of dust while the rest of the army watched. He continued to cut through their ranks, flanked by the Ares and Athena cabin. Some of the demigods briefly paused to look at him in awe. Percy looked down and realized he was twice as tall as the rest of the campers. He must've willed himself taller by instinct.

The battle was going well—hardly any demigods had been hurt, but waves of monsters continued coming. Then suddenly, Percy felt a powerful presence behind him.

Standing in the distance was Iapetus, who was even taller than Percy. He held a spear that made Clarisse's look like a toothpick. Nobody had told him he was going to be here. He was prepared for Hyperion—but not him. Iapetus met his eyes, and Percy knew he had to get out of there before the demigods became collateral damage.

Percy ran towards him, leaping over the monsters and clashing with Iapetus in mid-air. Several monsters were squashed beneath their feet.

"Hello, Perseus. A little eager to fight, are we?"

"Where's Kronos?" Percy demanded.

Iapetus smiled.

"He will arrive shortly. But I would not be so worried about him. God or not, you can still feel pain. Cut into a million pieces, bound to the depths of Tartarus for millennia…you are one of us now! You will know my brother's pain!"

Percy could hardly block the first strike. This was way different from fighting Ares. Iapetus wasn't just perfect—he was lightning fast, jabbing and thrusting with enough power to pierce concrete. Percy lured him away from the rest of the battle, using his anger to distract him. Once they were alone, Percy blocked the next strike with fervor, surprising even Iapetus.

"You are strong. It is a shame you fight for the wrong side."

"I could say the same to you," Percy grit his teeth.

They traded blow after blow, and after what felt like an hour, they had fought through almost half of Manhattan. With each parry and swing, shockwaves were sent through the streets, shattering windows and casting away monsters like they were nothing. The whole time, Percy had only managed to graze Iapetus's chin. Golden ichor dripped from each of their wounds.

"This battle will never end," Iapetus bellowed. "Yield, Perseus, and perhaps Kronos will be merciful."

"Yeah, that's not going to happen." Percy saw an opening. He feinted left, catching him off guard, then thrust Riptide directly through the titan's stomach. Iapetus fell to his knees with a slight exhale, golden blood pouring from the hole in his body. Titans were almost impossible to kill–but they could be contained.

"Maybe you should yield instead," Percy held his blade to Iapetus's throat. He let out a cackle.

"He will destroy Olympus, and then kill her. There is nothing you can do about it."

"Kill her? What do you mean?" Percy was ready for deception.

"Atlas's daughter. Calypso," Iapetus said. "Kronos knows your affection for her. And of course, there is her child."

Percy's heart skipped a beat, but he steeled his nerves.

"All the more reason for me to take him out."

With a final swing of Riptide, Iapetus's laughs were silenced. Millions of thoughts swirled around his head, albeit mostly confusion. Calypso was pregnant? If Kronos knew about Calypso…was she safe? Anger started to cloud his joy. Threatening her was where he drew the line. Percy needed to find Kronos now and end this war for good.

Back by the Empire State Building, the demigods were having a difficult time. The Apollo cabin had to retreat from the rooftops, and Will Solace was nowhere to be seen. Their numbers were dwindling–but so was Kronos's army. It would be tight, but camp half-blood would come out on top, especially with Percy's help.

Before he could start cutting through legions of monsters, Percy felt a cold presence in the back of his mind. This one was familiar–he'd felt it even as a demigod. Kronos. As if on cue, everything seemed to slow down around him. The monsters were unaffected, but the demigods moved like molasses. Percy had to do something, and fast–otherwise their victory would quickly become a slaughter.

He took a deep breath, reeling in his emotions. He still couldn't believe he was going to be a father. Nobody could take that away from him, not even Kronos. The exhaustion from the previous battle seemingly vanished. Percy was ready for the fight of his life.

There Luke was, walking through the battlefield, slowing down arrows and swords like he was from The Matrix. Percy was unaffected. He felt a twinge of doubt and pity. A part of him still wanted to redeem Luke. He was just misguided, and Kronos had taken advantage of him. Percy didn't want to believe he was too far gone, but what could he do now? There was almost nothing left of the original Luke in his blackened eyes, aside from the occasional terrified expression seeping through.

"Ah, Perseus Jackson. You really do take after your father. It's a shame he is…preoccupied. I would have liked to see the look on his face as I destroy Olympus."

Percy ignored him.

"Luke, I know you're in there. Please, you have to fight against him. I don't want to fight you–nobody wants to fight you. You can still end this. Be brave."

"The boy–"

Kronos staggered, shaking his head.

"The boy is gone. He serves me now, as you will."

"You know that's not going to happen," Percy said. "I won't let you pass."

"Then you shall die."