We joined the battle and drove the enemy away from the Empire State Building. Clarisse did a majority of the work. Even with king her armor and spear, she was tearing through the enemy. She rode her chariot straight into the Titan's army and crushed everything in her path.
She reignited hope. The panicked centaurs started to rally. The Hunters scrounged arrows from the fallen and launched volley after volley into the enemy. The Ares cabin slashed and hacked. The monsters retreated toward 35th Street.
Clarisse drove to the drakon's carcass and used the vines and a grappling line to loop it through its eye sockets. She dragged the drakon behind the chariot showing off her kill. She charged after the enemy, yelling insults and daring them to cross her. As she rode, I noticed she was literally glowing. An aura of red fire flickered around her.
"The blessing of Ares." Thalia said. "I've never seen it in person before."
For the moment, Clarisse was invincible. The enemy three spears and arrows, but nothing hit her.
"I AM CLARISSE, DRAKON-SLAYER!" She yelled. "I will kill you ALL! Where is Kronos? Bring him out! Is he a coward?"
"Clarisse!" Percy yelled from beside me. "Stop it. Withdraw!"
"What's the matter, Titan lord?" Clarisse continued. "BRING IT ON!"
The enemy slowly began to fall back behind a dracanae shield wall. Clarisse drove in circles around Fifth Avenue, daring anyone to cross her path. The drakon carcass making a hollow scraping noise against the pavement.
We started to tend to our wounded, bringing them inside the lobby. Even after the enemy retreated, Clarisse kept riding up and down the avenue with her trophy demanding that Kronos meet her battle.
"She can't stay out there by herself." I brought up.
"I'll watch her." Chris said. "She'll get tired eventually. I'll make sure she comes inside."
"What about the camp?" Percy asked. "Is anybody left there?"
"Only Argue and the nature spirits." Chris shook his head. "Peleus the dragon is still guarding the tree."
"They won't last long." Perch said. "But I'm glad you came."
"I'm sorry it took so long." Chris nodded sadly. "I tried to reason with Clarisse. I said there's no point of defending camp if you guys die. All our friends are here. I'm sorry it took Silena..."
"My Hunters will help you stand guard." Thalia told him. "Annabeth, Ivy, and Percy, you should go to Olympus. I have a feeling they'll need you up there- to set up the final defense."
We entered the lobby to see the doorman was gone. All that was left was his book facedown on his desk. The rest of the lobby was packed with wounded campers, Hunters, and satyrs. I noticed Mrs. O'Leary outside. I walked over to her while Percy went to meet Connor and Travis Stoll at the elevators. Annabeth went to check on Seth.
"Hey girl." I scratched behind her ear. "You doing okay?"
Chiron was just finishing wrapping up her paw. She was limping slightly but was able to put weight on it. Her fur was matted with mud, leaves, pizza slices, and dried monster blood.
"She's all done." Chiron stepped away. The hellhound kicked his face gratefully. Chiron leaned away and wiped his face. "Down dog."
"Thanks Chiron." I told him. "Have you seen Pollux? I don't see him in the lobby."
"He's up at Olympus with some others." Chiron informed me, causing me to sigh in relief.
"Thank you." I started to take off the leaves from Mrs. O'Leary's fur. When I took off a slice of pizza she was quickly to take it out of my hands and gobble it down. I chuckled at her as she licked her flews. "I'll make sure to give you some more."
I was giving her another pizza slice when I saw her breathing against the glass doors and smearing them with hellhound drool. She sniffed the air and turned to face the pizza in my hand. Her tail wagged, shaking the ground as she sat obediently waiting for the slice. I gave her the pizza which she ate quickly. Percy stepped out of the building to join us.
"Wow, she's a mess." Percy chuckled out as she found another pizza slice that had fallen off her.
"You should have seen her earlier." I chuckled out.
Mrs. O'Leary turned when she heard Percy. She made her way to him, limping on her injury. Percy put a hand on her muzzle.
"Hey, girl." Percy's tone was more upbeat than before. "I know you're tired, but I've got one more big favor to ask you."
Percy leaned next to her and whispered instructions in her ear. With a loud woof, she slipped into the shadows. We rejoined Annabeth in the lobby. On the way to the elevator, we spotted Grover kneeling over a fat wounded satyr.
"Leneus!" Percy said.
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 tried to focus on us, but his eyes seemed distant.
"Grover?" Leneus murmured.
"I'm here, Leneus." Grover was blinking back tears, despite all the horrible things Leneus had said about him.
"Did... did we win?"
"Um...yes." Grover lied. "Thanks to you, Leneus. We drove the enemy away."
"Told you." The old satyr mumbled. "True leader. True..."
He closed his eyes for the last time. Grover gulped. He put his hand in Leneus's forehead and spoke an ancient blessing. The old satyr's body melted, until all that was left was a tiny sapling in his hands in a pile of fresh soil.
"A laurel." Grover said in awe. "Oh, that lucky old goat." He gathered up the sapling in his hands. "I...I should plant him. In Olympus, in the gardens."
"We're going that way." Percy said. "Come on."
Easy-listening music played as the elevator rose. I glanced at Annabeth who had been quiet since Silena's death. I was worried for her.
"Percy." Annabeth said quietly. "You were right about Luke."
She kept her eyes fixed on the elevator floors as they blinked into the magical numbers. This was tearing her up. I exchanged glances with Percy and Grover.
"Annabeth." Percy started. "I'm sorry-"
"You tried to tell me." Her voice was shaky. "Luke is no good. I didn't believe you until... until I heard how he'd used Silena. Now I know. I hope you're happy."
"That doesn't make me happy."
Annabeth put her head against the elevator walk and wouldn't look at us. I placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and gave it a squeeze. Percy looked at me helpless with what to say. I gave him a reassuring smile.
"Well..." Grover cradled his laurel sapling in his hands. "Sure good to be together again. Arguing. Almost dying. Abject terror. Oh, look. It's our floor."
The doors dinged and we stepped onto the aerial walkway. Olympus looked depressing. No fires lit the braziers. The windows were dark. The only movement was in the parks, which had been set up as field hospitals. Will, Seth, and other Apollo campers scrambled around, caring for their wounded. Naiads and dryads tried to help, using nature songs to heal burns and poison.
"Chiron said Pollux was somewhere up here." I mumbled, looking around for my brother as I noticed all those who were injured.
"We'll find him." Percy reassured my nerves.
Grover planted the laurel sapling as we went around cheering up the wounded. I was still keeping an eye out for Pollux. Worry was digging a hole into my heart when I started to see the injuries and a golden burial shroud of Apollo's cabin.
"You'll be up and fighting Titans in no time!" Percy told one camper.
"You look great." Annabeth told another.
"Leneus turned into a shrub!" Grover told a groaning satyr.
I saw Pollux further ahead propped up against a tree. He had a broken arm. I sighed in relief. He was okay.
"Poll." I jogged over to him. He looked up at me and smiled in relief. "You okay?"
"Just a broken arm." Pollux winced as he sat up straight.
"Have you been checked on yet?" I kneeled beside him.
"Nah." Pollux shook his head. "There's worse injuries they need to attend to. I'm okay."
I gently grabbed his arm, careful not touch the bone sticking out. There was some bruising forming already. It must have been earlier when it was broken. Percy walked up behind me. There was a frown on his face when he noticed Pollux's broken arm.
"I can still fight with the other hand." Pollux gritted through his teeth, trying to stand up.
"Poll-"
"No." Percy said. "You've done enough. I want you to stay here and help with the wounded."
"But-"
"Promise me to stay safe." Percy said. "Okay? Personal favor."
I glanced back at him, his wording catching me off guard. Pollux frowned uncertainly. I gently let go of my brother's arm. Annabeth brought over Seth.
"Fine." Pollux reluctantly promised. He sat back down. "Promise to keep my sister safe."
"With my life." Percy nodded. "I won't let anything happen to her. I'll send her here if I feel like she'll be safer."
"Okay, wait a minute." I stood up and placed my hands on my hips. "I'm not leaving your side during this battle."
"And I'm not going to risk you dying." Percy countered, raising a brow. "If I had it my way, you would be staying here with your brother, but I know you would argue with me about it."
"You're right. I would. I'm not leaving you." I shook my head. "The last time something like that happened-"
"That's not going to happen, okay?" Percy stepped towards me, placing a hand on my arm. "I'm not leaving you, just like you're not leaving me. Okay?"
I stared at him. I didn't like the idea of me leaving if I was in danger. There was a hint of desperation in his eyes. With a sigh, I nodded. Relief flooded his features.
"Thank you." Percy muttered and pecked my forehead.
"Here, Pollux." Seth handed my brother a small piece of ambrosia. "Let's get you healed up. We're going to need help with the others."
Pollux nodded. With that, we left them to head to the palace. The bronze doors creaked open. Our footsteps echoed on the marble floor. The constellations twinkled 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.
The Ophiotaurus swam sadly in his sphere of water. He let out a half-hearted moo when he saw Percy. Then I saw Rachel Elizabeth Dare looking up at the stars at the foot of Zeus's throne. She was holding a familiar Greek ceramic vase.
"Rachel?" Percy said. "Um, what are you doing with that?"
"I found it." Rachel focused on Percy as if she were coming out of a dream. "It's Pandora's jar, isn't it?"
"Please put down the jar." Percy told her.
"I can see Hope inside it." Rachel ran her fingers over the ceramic designs. "So fragile."
"Rachel."
His voice seemed to bring her back to reality. She held out the jar and Percy took it.
"Grover." Annabeth mumbled. "Let's scout around the palace. Maybe we can find some extra Greek fire or Hephaestus traps."
"But-" Grover got cut off by Annabeth elbowing him. "Right! I love traps!"
"Ives, you coming?" Annabeth asked. I nodded and followed after them. I had a feeling the conversation Percy needed to have with Rachel and Hestia was private. "You okay?"
"Just ready for all of this to be over." I admitted, sitting outside in the hall.
"Me too." Annabeth muttered quietly, leaning against the wall beside me.
"Some cheese enchiladas sound great after this." Grover said, bringing a smile to our faces.
"Mexican food does sound good right now." I said as my stomach grumbled.
We waited a few minutes before heading back in. The room was quiet. Percy was staring at Hestia with a strange look on his face. We slowed to a stop. Maybe they weren't done talking.
"Everything okay?" I asked, worried something happened.
"Percy?" Annabeth asked in concern. "Should we, um, leave again?"
"You're not going to do anything stupid, are you?" Percy looked at Rachel. "I mean... you talked to Chiron, right?"
"You're worried about me doing something stupid?" Rachel managed a faint smile.
"But I mean... will you be okay?"
"I don't know." Rachel admitted. I felt lost in their conversation. "That kind of depends whether you save the world, hero."
I held back the urge to roll my eyes. Percy picked up Pandora's jar. He looked into it.
"Hestia," Percy said, "I give this to you as an offering."
"I am the least of the gods." Hestia tilted her head. "Why would you trust me with this?"
"You're the last Olympian." Percy told her. "And the most important."
"And why is that, Percy Jackson?"
"Because Hope survived best at the hearth." Percy said. "Guard it for me, and I won't be tempted to give up again."
The goddess smiled. She took the jar in her hands and it began to glow. The hearth fire burned a little brighter.
"Well done, Percy Jackson." She said. "May the gods bless you."
"We're about to find out." Percy turned to look at us. "Come on, guys."
Then he marched to his father's throne. We followed him, shooting each other questionable glances. Percy stopped before his father's throne and looked up.
"Help me up." Percy told us.
"What?"
"Are you crazy?"
"Probably." Percy admitted.
"Percy," Grover said, "the gods really don't appreciate people sitting in their thrones. I mean mine turn-you-into-a-pile-of-ashes don't appreciate it."
"Maybe you shouldn't do this." I added, hoping to change his mind.
"I need to get his attention." Percy said. "It's the only way."
Grover, Annabeth and I exchanged uneasy looks.
"Well," Annabeth said, "this'll get his attention."
"I don't like this." I sighed.
Annabeth and Grover linked their arms to make a step. Percy stepped into their hands and I watched his back to make sure he didn't fall. They boosted him onto the throne. I nervously watched as Percy tried to talk to his dad. My foot tapped on the ground and I was biting my thumbnail. Suddenly, Percy turned pale and smoke started to curl around him.
"Maybe we should get him down." I took a step forward.
"That will just make things worse." Annabeth placed a hand on my arm to hold me back.
A few minutes later, Percy slipped down from the throne. He was acting as if nothing happened. Steam was still curling off his shirtsleeves.
"Are you okay?" Grover studied him nervously. "You turned pale and...you started smoking."
"I did not!" Percy then looked at his arms to see the steam and the hair on his arms singed.
"You're lucky that's all you got." I told him. "You had us worried."
"If you'd sat there any longer," Annabeth added, "you would've spontaneously combusted. I hope the conversation was worth it?"
The Ophiotaurus mooed in his sphere of water.
"We'll find out soon." Percy said.
Just then the doors of the throne room swung open. Thalia marched in. Her bow was snapped in half and her quiver was empty.
"You've got to get down there." She told us. "The enemy is advancing. And Kronos is leading them."