The plan was genius - until it was nearly ruined by a drunken idiot.
Their entire army was crouched behind Areopagus Hill. Calypso could only recall one event that took place on that hill: Ares's trial at which he was accused of murdering a son of Poseidon. He was ruled innocent because he swore that it was out of protection for one of his own children.
"You sure you want to fight?" Leo asked her for about the sixtieth time - that hour. "You would be a great medic."
"Leo, I have much more experience fighting than you," she pointed out. "I fought in the first Titan war, remember? I should be asking if you want to be a medic." That shut him up. She gave him a kiss on the cheek so that he wouldn't feel too bad.
The Acropolis was even more incredible in person than the stories and pictures from Hermes. Calypso couldn't help but stare over the top of the hill at the Propylaia. With three gargantuan pillars on either side of a wide walkway, the architectural elegance of the entrance to the Acropolis was obvious to anyone. The temple of Athena Nike was visible behind the Propylaia.
Calypso flipped over her borrowed sword and studied the Greek lettering on the side: θεριστική μηχανή, meaning Reaper. An appropriate name for a sword that would be cutting down monsters and sending them back to Tartarus where they belong.
Many people had been surprised when she'd declared that she would be fighting. Apparently it was uncommon for pretty girls to do something that might 'chip a nail.' Well, she was a daughter of Atlas, and she had experience in wars. Sitting out of the action would be shallow for someone with her past.
Looking over the top of the hill, Calypso spotted a giant figure walking through the Propylaia. She ducked back down, praying that the giant hadn't seen her.
"They're here," she whispered to Leo, who passed the word down to the boy below him. The news rapidly spread to everyone on the hill.
Part one was ready. Any minute now. . .
A flash of light nearly directly left of the hill. When the glow faded, Athena was standing on a pile of ruins. She did not once look at the hill where she knew they were hiding, but continued to the Acropolis with a solemn expression, as if she was mourning inside, but only a sliver of her sadness was showing.
Confusion was written all over Porphyrion's face as the goddess climbed the last few ruined steps until she was on the same level as Porphyrion. Calypso could read his expression: Why are you here? Where is your army?
"I don't see why you feel the need to keep going with the confusion act," Athena half-choked, half-snapped. "The survivors of the attack all know it was you. Who else could it have been?"
"Attack?" Porphyrion's confusion faded to shock. "I didn't order an attack. I ordered for a griffin to steal battle plans."
It was Calypso's turn to be shocked. She looked at Jaz, who was at the bottom of the hill, clutching her bandage with a surprised look on her face.
Thankfully, Athena was able to keep up her act. "Well, last night, an entire army showed up and killed all but forty demigods." A tear rolled down her cheek. "Half of my children died in the attack, Porphyrion. Do you know what it's like to lose your children? Theodore was only eight! He didn't stand a chance."
Calypso stifled a laugh. Athena didn't even have a son named Theodore.
"I-I didn't-" Porphyrion attempted to mask his shock, but only half succeeded. "Where are the surviving demigods now?"
This was where Athena was supposed to say, "They headed back to the U.S.," then they would charge down the hill when Porphyrion was confused enough.
Instead, this is what happened:
"We're right here!" someone yelled. Calypso turned to see Dakota stumbling up the hill, swaying from too much Kool-aid. About a dozen people tackled Dakota to the ground, but the damage was already done. His head had been above the hill for about a second.
"Charge!" Annabeth yelled, thinking quickly so that they wouldn't lose the momentum.
A rush of adrenaline flew through Calypso as she ran down Areopagus Hill. Porphyrion was being joined by more and more monsters, but still less than their army of 300 demigods and 30 major and minor gods.
A vortex of swirling sand appeared, and one by one, magicians walked out.
The first to come out was a man Calypso took to be the leader. He had the look of a saxophone player with the beaded hair and the darker skin. He wore a leopard skin as a cape and carried a boomerang wand and a staff.
He was followed by about a hundred others, some as young as "Theodore," some old enough to be grandparents. They all joined the charging army, raising the number to 400.
Athena had already stabbed Porphyrion in the stomach, but the wound was healing quickly.
Calypso was one of the first to reach the Propylaia. She parried an attack from a dracona and quickly sliced her shoulder, then moved on to another. Pretty soon, she was fighting back to back with Leo, who was slamming monsters with a Celestial Bronze hammer.
The more monsters she killed, the more she started to get the hang of swinging a sword again. There had been no weapons on Ogygia, so it was her first time in almost three millennia holding a blade. She felt powerful, less like the island girl with all her gardens and moonlace, and more like the warrior daughter of Atlas she had been in the first Titan War.
Calypso focused on her next challenger, an empousa in demon form. She quickly snapped the sword, aiming for the head, but the demon moved at lightning speed and stopped her strike with her claws.
Okay. Maybe this monster would be a little more difficult to kill.
Before Calypso could swing again, the empousa grabbed her sword and dropped it on the ground. If Calypso moved to get it, the demon would rip her into pieces.
"Leo!" Calypso cried.
The demon had not been expecting a short boy to hit her in the head with a hammer. Maybe it was her surprise that saved them. She dissolved into dust, and Calypso picked up her sword.
That's when she heard the roar.
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Next chapter is Carter, next update is in two to three days, sorry for the long wait!
