ｔｈｅ ｌａｓｔ ｏｌｙｍｐｉａｎ

WHEN LUCIA WOKE UP IT WAS A WHOLE 35 HOURS LATER, and her mind was racing. Everything in her head had been contradicting each other for days. The one thing she relied on at this point was instinct. The same instinct that told her Annabeth could be trusted, Kronos was not the savior she once thought he was and maybe, Percy Jackson wasn't someone she wanted to drive a knife through.

It was also telling her to not let herself rot into the mattress, so she got up.

"You're awake."

Lucia turned to see Annabeth walk in, Her grey eyes stormy and dark.

"Yup." She croaked 

"Does it still hurt?" she frowned, sitting at the end of the bed.

"I'm fine." Lucia winced, she scooted to give her more space "I can move now."

"Careful." Annabeth scolded "Can you please take care of yourself, Lucy."

Lucia became shy "Hey, I'm fine Beth."

"No." Annabeth frowned "You almost died."

"But I didn't." Lucia comforted "I'm here."

"if you keep this up I'm going to put a leash on you." Annabeth chided

Lucia wrinkled her nose "Could it be a pretty one?"

"No." She said, "because you stress me out."

Lucia fell into a small fit of laughter, Annabeth stayed serious but after a while, a ghost of a smile fell on her lips.

"I'm serious." Annabeth said, "why would you jump in front of that knife."

Her smile dropped. "I—I don't know. Percy was in danger and I couldn't let him die. Which is weird right?."

Annabeth's face shifted in realization "He was?"

Lucia gulped, and she nodded. "He told me where after..,."
Her voice cracked. "Annabeth, I don't think I hate him. I don't know...."

"You don't." she whispered "If I'm honest I'm not sure who you did hate. you were always so...warm."

"But...I feel...For Percy."She squeezed her eyes shut, her hand fell to her chest. Her temples throbbed. I love you Ethan "I can't...."

Annabeth frowned "Lucy, it's not your fault if things..."

"I love Ethan. I really do." Lucia finalized "Percy...He's my friend?"

"You don't seem too sure." Annabeth raised an eyebrow

"I'm very sure."

Annabeth deadpanned.

"Fine! I-I don't know what he is Beth." Lucia looked away, out the balcony. "I just-well...I don't...or I prefer hi-no!...it would feel better if...oh whatever!"

Lucia watched the sun come up over the city. The traffic should've been heavy by now, but no cars were honking, no crowds bustling along the sidewalks.

Far away, Lucia could hear a car alarm echo through the streets. A plume of black smoke curled into the sky somewhere over Harlem. She wondered how many ovens had been left on when the Morpheus spell hit; how many people had fallen asleep in the middle of cooking dinner. Pretty soon there would be more fires.

Everyone in New York was in danger—and all those lives depended on them.

"You asked me why Hermes was mad at me," Annabeth said.

Lucia looked up "Hey, you don't need to—"

"No, I want to tell you. It's been bothering me for a long time." She exhaled sharply. "Last year, Luke came to see me in San Francisco."

"In person?" Lucia asked. "He came to your house?"

"This was before we went into the Labyrinth, before . . ." She faltered, but she knew what she meant: before he turned into Kronos. "He came under a flag of truce. He said he only wanted five minutes to talk. He looked scared, Lucy. He told me Kronos was going to use him to take over the world. He said he wanted to run away, like in the old days. He wanted me to come with him."

"But you didn't trust him," Lucia said

"Of course not. I thought it was a trick. Plus . . . well, a lot of things had changed since the old days. I told Luke there was no way. He got mad. He said . . . he said I might as well fight him right there because it was the last chance I'd get."

Her face morphed into sadness.

"It's okay," Lucia comforted.

"You don't understand, Lucia. Hermes was right. Maybe if I'd gone with him, I could've changed his mind. Or—or I had a knife. Luke was unarmed. I could've—"

"Killed him?" Lucia said. "that would only haunt you more Beth."

She squeezed her eyes shut. "Luke said Kronos would use him like a stepping stone. Those were his exact words. Kronos would use Luke, and become even more powerful."

"He did that," Lucia said. "He possessed Luke's body."

"But what if Luke's body is only a transition? What if Kronos has a plan to become even more powerful? I could've stopped him. The war is my fault."

Lucia remembered last summer, when the two-headed god, Janus, had warned Annabeth she would have to make a major choice—and that had happened after she saw Luke.

"Don't kill me." Lucia said, "But you're wrong, Annabeth." 

Annabeth gasped, she glared at her "Why would you say that like that!"

"That's why." Lucia giggled. her smile dropped and she placed her hand on Annabeth's shoulder giving it a gentle squeeze. "Kronos destroys lives, What's to say he wouldn't have just found another body to invade? He wouldn't have stopped with Luke. and I know it hurts that it is him but remember what you told me? this isn't your fault Beth..."

Annabeth's lips trembled, "I didn't want to make the same mistake again.... with you... I wanted to trust you-."

Lucia shifted forward, and Annabeth reached in concern. Lucia only responded with a bright smile, the bitter memory of her dream came back and caused goosebumps to form on her arms.

She will not be resistant for long.

"What's been going on? what did Grover come to report" Lucia asked

"No. You need to rest."

"Rest? I rest any longer and I'm gonna transform into a bed, I'm fine." Lucia reassured "Now tell me what's up"

"A few things," she sighed in defeat," Grover mobilized most of the nature spirits in the city, they're fighting but they lost twenty satyrs against giants at Fort Washington..."

Lucia gasped "Twenty?"

"I know. Thalia also says Kronos's forces are still gathering at every bridge and tunnel, and that he isn't the only Titan... One of her Hunters spotted a huge man in golden armor mustering an army on the Jersey shore. We're not sure who he is, but he radiates power like only a Titan or god."

She paused " Percy also had a chat with Prometheus and Ethan..." Lucia gulped "They offered him the Pandora's Box but we immediately put it in the vault."

"Why?"

"Elpis, hope, must be permitted to leave. Only a 'child of man' can release her from the pithos. He told Percy that when he is ready to surrender to Kronos, he should open it."

"And give up hope?"

Annabeth nodded.

"That's bleak." Lucia sighed "But well...fitting."

"Yeah." Annabeth stood up "He seems to be okay though. I have to go wake him up, I just came to check on you."

"Pause," she announced, Annabeth stopped in her tracks. Lucia noticed her armor was on. "Tell me or I'll find out by other means."

Annabeth huffed "Then you'll really need a leash."

Lucia rolled her eyes teasingly "Tell me Blondie."

"Don't!" Annabeth glared

"I don't know" Lucia shrugged "It's cute."

She scowled "No it is not."

Lucia chuckled "Okay okay stop changing the subject o wisest greatest future architect in the universe."

"I like that one." Annabeth grinned

"Annabeth Chase." Lucia hit her with her pillow "Tell me."

Annabeth gasped, "Now you—"

"Chase." Lucia pointed at her "Me dices o me dices." tell me or tell me

"No te voy a decir nada." Annabeth hummed with a smile I won't tell you nothing

Lucia mirrored Annabeth's gasp, she threw her hands up in exasperation "No fair, now you know as many languages as me."

"No." The blonde corrected "Io ne parlo cinque, Tu tre." I speak five, you speak three

"Ah." Lucia raised her pointer finger in the air. "You've started a war. Watch by—Hey! oh, you're good."

"Or we just have Adhd."

Lucia squinted her eyes. "Spill."

Annabeth huffed, she hopped back onto the bed, her ponytail swinging behind her "There's an army marching south to Central Park."

"Where's my armor?." Lucia looked around

Annabeth glowered "Leash."

She stood up, and stumbled "Woah Woah got up too fast for someone asleep for days." She looked at Annabeth who had her famous 'told you so face' on "Leash me all you want! Then I'll be with you."

"I'll tie you to a tree."

"Annabeth!" Lucia gasped "I don't even get poodle in a stroller treatment?."

She frowned. "Poodle in a stroller treatment wha-"

"Exactly how it sounds." She gazed around the large room, looking under the bed "Did you actually hide it? I'm not that bad."

"You've been back barely a week and this has been your third time on bedrest."

"Blame the fates!" Lucia swung the door open "Now where is Perseus."

"She's gonna kill him! Code orange!!" Connor Stoll exclaimed scrambling out the front door of the apartment complex, and into the hallway.

"Code Orange?!" Lucia yelled in shock

Annabeth opened her mouth to explain

"If you're going to have a code for me at least do gold." Lucia frowned "Who was in charge of this travesty."

Annabeth raised an eyebrow, "Travesty?

Lucia shrugged, she walked towards the couch where Percy lay asleep. The few demigods there watched her pointedly, their armor on and weapons in hand.

"No code gold." Lucia waved her hands "Just wanna see the o great hero Percy Jackson."

They scattered out of the living room.

"Seriously why are you speaking like that."

"It's the poetry in me" Lucia frowned "A curse it comes out sometimes."

"It's true." Aurora's bowl of fruit loops clanged in the sink, she made her way behind the other demigods. "One second you're enjoying your day next you're speaking in similes."

Lucia signaled to Aurora's retreating figure."It's as annoying as the buzz of a fly." Her smile dropped after a beat. She huffed."Damn it."

Ignoring her poetry abilities, she walked closer to the couch. Percy was curled up into his side and she didn't even realize she was smiling. His messy hair mangled and tangled, drool sliding down his chin.

Lucia bent down to be leveled with his ear "Suns out droolboy." she whispered

Percy shot awake, banging his head against Lucia's.

"Ouch!" Lucia whined, "Kelp is a lot thicker than you think."

"Sorry."

When Lucia didn't get the response she expected back, her eyebrows furrowed. She looked at the boy, staring off into space and rubbing his sleepy head.

"Percy?" Lucia asked. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," He lied. then blinked "What . . . what are you doing up? You should be resting."

"That nectar and ambrosia fixed me up." Lucia shrugged, She was barely moving her right arm. "Wanna know where my armor is. I know it was you or you, maybe even an and. So spill because we're wasting precious time while Central Park is about to become a warzone."

She offered her good hand and helped him up.

"Lucia." He decided "There's no way you're fighting."

"aww funny you think I'm asking for permission." Lucia cooed. She raised her right arm slightly, smiling through the burn. "I'm fine Aquaman, good as new."

Percy didn't look convinced "Yeah? Good like your leg in the labyrinth?"

Her face fell. She grumbled "Bobo." dumbass

"See. You hate when I'm right." he pointed to her, a proud grin forming on his lips

"Percy I looked in my shield. There's an army heading south into Central Park," Annabeth informed.

His proud smile dropped, "There's something else too..."

He told them part of his bad dreams. Once again, Lucia knew he was missing parts of his story. Especially when he talked about the dream almost identical to the one that she had of Ethan and Kronos. He kept to himself the details of them speaking about Lucia and Luke fighting through Kronos' control. But she figured that was for both their sakes.

"Do you think Ethan suspects your weak spot?" Annabeth asked.

"I don't know," He admitted. "He didn't tell Kronos anything, but if he figures it out—"

"He won't." Lucia shook her head "We can't let him."

"I'll bonk him on the head harder next time," He suggested

Lucia gave him a chiding look but he didn't seem to care. She suddenly felt uneasy with the topic at hand, so she tore away her gaze to Annabeth, "Any idea what surprise Kronos was talking about?"

She shook her head. "I didn't see anything in the shield, but I don't like surprises."

"Agreed."

"The absolute worst."

Lucia inhaled, she needed to figure out a way to convince them to let her go.

She knew it wasn't the best idea. For many. Many. reasons. For starters, her shoulder had truthfully only gone from completely useless to less useless. And of course, there was the fact she could lose control any minute, and her dream last night didn't do anything to calm that anxiety. Despite more and more knots unraveling and feeling....safer, calmer, it was all still there.

Her voice, His screams, the duels, the training..... all the memories meshed with the lies and gods she hoped there was a way it could be worked through. Especially without having to hurt anyone.

Anyone she may or may not truly care about.

She knew sitting in a room would do nothing but slow down the inevitable. Lucia was supposed to be in this war. One way or another...

"Look." She took a deep breath in. "I admit. I'm a little sore. But, I'm not a little girl. And I'm not the same untrained and ignorant demigod you had to save from a manticore three years ago. Or protect during her first quests. I also know. I'm messy. But that's also exactly why you should know, if you don't give me my armor. I'll still go. without armor and all"

"Gods!" Annabeth exclaimed in frustration. "She's so stubborn!."

"Yeah? try eleven years with her."

Lucia frowned "Hey, don't do that. Annabeth and I are the gang uppers you can't just switch and be the gang upees on me now."

"Those aren't words Lucy."

"I said them. you understood them. words." Lucia shrugged, "Now, you two going to keep arguing about me coming along?"

Annabeth huffed "Percy has it."

Percy looked at Lucia, and Lucia couldn't help but wonder if he was thinking about the dream. if he was wondering whether she'd betray him...

"I don't want you to get hurt..." He admitted "But if I try to stop you. You'll just beat me up."

A soft smile formed on his lips

if I can't trust you, I can't trust anyone.

Lucia managed a genuine laugh "Damn straight Kelphead."

Percy revealed the hidden armor from the highest cabinet (Lucia didn't appreciate that it was because 'she wouldn't reach'), drew his sword, and they went to rally the troops.

☼

THALIA AND THE HEAD COUNSELORS WERE WAITING FOR THEM AT THE RESERVOIR. The lights of the city were blinking on at twilight. Lucia guessed a lot of them were on automatic timers. Streetlamps glowed around the shore of the lake, making the water and trees look even spookier.

"They're coming," Thalia confirmed, pointing north with a silver arrow. "One of my scouts just reported they've crossed the Harlem River. There was no way to hold them back. The army . . ." She shrugged. "It's huge."

"We'll hold them at the park," Percy said. "Grover, you ready?"

He nodded. "As ready as we'll ever be. If my nature spirits can stop them anywhere, this is the place."

"Yes, we will!" said another voice. A very old, fat satyr pushed through the crowd, stumbling over his own spear. He was dressed in wood-bark armor that only covered half of his belly.

"Leneus?" Percy said.

"Don't act so surprised," he huffed. "I am a leader of the Council, and you did tell me to find Grover. Well, I found him, and I'm not going to let a mere outcast lead the satyrs without my help!"

Behind Leneus's back, Grover made gagging motions, and Lucia found herself giggling at his antics. The old satyr grinned like he was the savior of the day. "Never fear! We'll show those Titans!"

Percy managed to keep a straight face. "Um . . . yeah. Well, Grover, you won't be alone. Annabeth and the Athena cabin will make their stand here. And me, the Apollo cabin, and . . . Thalia?"

She patted him on the shoulder. "Say no more. The Hunters are ready."

Percy looked at the other counselors. "That leaves the rest of you with a job just as important. You have to guard the other entrances to Manhattan. You know how tricky Kronos is. He'll hope to distract us with this big army and sneak another force in somewhere else. It's up to you to make sure that doesn't happen."

Lucia frowned as she remembered her fallen siblings, her chest ached. "Don't we need an Apollo counselor here?"

Everyone looked at her in question. It took a second for it to sink in.

Her mouth fell agape, She pointed to herself "me?....but isn't it the oldest? Aurora is sixteen."

Katie Gardener shrugged "She didn't want it."

"Oh."

"Has each cabin chosen a bridge or tunnel?" Percy asked

The counselors nodded grimly.

"Then let's do it," Percy said. "Good hunting, everybody!"

Lucia marched over to her siblings the second Percy finished, he called for her but she was too busy panicking.

"Why aren't you at the Plaza?" Will crossed his arms over his chest. He gave her a stern look. "You can't overexert your arm. You need to be in bed the-"

"No. no 'doctor's orders'. Head counselor orders. I stay. Because I just found out that I'm head counselor now. So tell me! why the absolute Hades would you let the rampaging. brainwashed. Maniac who could still snap any second become your head counselor."

"Isn't that most political leaders either way?"

"Shhhhhhh!" She told Austin "Just because that was amazing commentary and you've learned from the best does not mean that it was helpful. "

"Who else?" Aurora shrugged

"You!" She exclaimed "The obvious choice!"

Aurora scoffed "I don't want to be responsible for them."

"Hey!" They all chimed in harmony.

She rolled her eyes "Lucia you've organized us, you've been to the meetings before, You already act like half of our mothers I don't see—"

"Things have changed," Lucia said. "Now-"

"You're the same—"

"I'm not-t!" Her voice cracked and she swallowed to gain some composure. "I'm not." she sighed.

They all looked at her. Like they expected something she wasn't sure she could give. Lucia had always been one to spread herself too thin, but right now she wasn't sure if she could handle it. She knew it was that they believed in her, that they trusted her but... She couldn't even take care of herself right now...how was she supposed to take care of all of her siblings?"

"... I'll try my best."

☼

THEY HEARD THE ARMY BEFORE THEY SAW IT

The noise was fucking loud. that's the only way Lucia knew how to describe it. She couldn't think of metaphors with the way her ears rang. Her ears the most sensitive to noise than anyone around and trust that it was not fun.

At the north end of the reservoir, the enemy vanguard broke through the woods—a warrior in golden armor leading a battalion of Laistrygonian giants with huge bronze axes. Hundreds of other monsters poured out behind them.

"Positions!" Annabeth yelled.

Her cabinmates scrambled. The idea was to make the enemy army break around the reservoir. To get to them, they'd have to follow the trails, which meant they'd be marching in narrow columns on either side of the water.

At first, the plan seemed to work. The enemy divided and streamed toward them along the shore. When they were halfway across, their defenses kicked in. The jogging trail erupted in Greek fire, incinerating many of the monsters instantly. Others flailed around, engulfed in green flames. Athena campers threw grappling hooks around the largest giants and pulled them to the ground.

In the woods on the right, the Hunters sent a volley of silver arrows into the enemy line, The Apollo cabin did the same on the left with golden arrows and javelins. Lucia's painful shoulder didn't have her at her best but she managed to push through. Together with the hunters, they destroyed maybe forty-fifty dracaena, but more marched behind them. A bolt of lightning crackled out of the sky and fried a Laistrygonian giant to ashes, and Lucia knew Thalia was doing her daughter of Zeus thing.

Grover raised his pipes and played a quick tune. A roar went up from the woods on both sides as every tree, rock, and bush seemed to sprout a spirit. Dryads and satyrs raised their clubs and charged. The trees wrapped around the monsters, strangling them. Grass grew around the feet of the enemy archers. Stones flew up and hit dracaenas in the faces.

The enemy slogged forward. Giants smashed through the trees, and naiads faded as their life sources were destroyed. Hellhounds lunged at the timber wolves, knocking them aside. Enemy archers returned fire, and a Hunter fell from a high branch.

"Lucia do you hear me." Lucia looked down from her spot in the tree. Annabeth held Percy's arm. "Look." She pointed at the reservoir. The Titan in the gold armor wasn't waiting for his forces to advance around the sides. He was charging toward them, walking straight over the top of the lake.

A Greek firebomb exploded right on top of him, but he raised his palm and sucked the flames out of the air.

"Hyperion," Annabeth said in awe. "The lord of light. Titan of the east."

"Bad?" Percy guessed.

"Next to Atlas, he's the greatest Titan warrior. In the old days, four Titans controlled the four corners of the world. Hyperion was the east—the most powerful. He was the father of Helios, the first sun god before Apollo took his job."

"I'll keep him busy," Percy promised.

"Percy, even you can't—"

"Just keep our forces together."

They'd set up at the reservoir for good reason.

Percy advanced toward Hyperion, running over the top of the water. Twenty feet away, Hyperion raised his sword. His eyes were gold like Kronos's but brighter, vibrant, like miniature suns.

"The sea god's brat," he mused. "You're the one who trapped Atlas beneath the sky again?"

"Hey!" Lucia whined, her hand found the strand of grey hair "One of?!"

"It wasn't hard," He said. "You Titans are about as bright as my gym socks."

Hyperion snarled. "You want bright?"

His body ignited in a column of light and heat. Percy looked away, but was still blinded. Lucia saw the light around Hyperion and got an idea. 

"Lucia?"

"I'll be back. Will, You're in charge."

Before he could respond, she slid down the tree.

Percy raised Riptide—just in time. Hyperion's blade slammed against his. The shock wave sent a ten-foot ring of water across the surface of the lake.

The tidal wave was forced into reverse. Just before impact, Percy jumped upward on a jet of water.

"AHHHHH!" The waves smashed into Hyperion and he went under, his light extinguished.

Percy landed on the lake's surface just as Hyperion struggled to his feet. His golden armor was dripping wet.

"You will burn, Jackson!" he roared.

Their swords met again and the air charged with ozone.

The battle still raged around them. On the right flank, Annabeth was leading an assault with her siblings. On the left flank, Grover and his nature spirits were regrouping, entangling the enemies with bushes and weeds. Lucia had climbed up a taller tree with more room and a better view. She unsheathed an arrow from her quiver.

"Enough games," Hyperion told me. "We fight on land."

When the Titan yelled. A wall of force slammed Percy through the air. He sailed backward about three hundred yards and smashed into the ground. If it hadn't been for his new invulnerability, He would've broken every bone in his body.

Hyperion tried closing on him with blinding speed. But he stumbled back when an arrow pierced his arm. The tiny thing looked like an acupuncture needle compared to him. He took it out looking up half amused.

That's when the beam of light hit him. An agonized cry left from the titan's lip. He looked down to find a baseball-sized hole in his abdomen. It melted through his armor, Ichor seeped down the bronze.

"Impossible." He squinted looking into the horizon "How-"

Suddenly,  there was someone in front of him. A girl, with violet eyes and she was floating in the air.

He swiped at her like a fly, his hand going straight through her body.

"Missed me."

"I'm here."

"No, I'm here."

Holographic images of her surrounded the giant, he looked around in confusion. Fighting them like flies, he tried to shoot his own beams of lights at her but it looked like he was playing a really sad version of paddy cake. "Who are you!" he demanded

She smirked "The distraction."

The images of Lucia disappeared. Percy charged.

Hyperion. He was powerful and fast, but he couldn't seem to land a blow.

The ground around his feet kept erupting in flames, but Percy kept dousing it just as quickly. Lucia gasped in her spot up in the tree when she saw what Percy had created.

just had to show me up huh kelphead

"Stop it!" the Titan roared. "Stop that wind!"

Hyperion stumbled getting pushed away by the storm. Water sprayed his face, stinging his eyes.

The wind picked up, and Hyperion staggered backward.

"Percy!" Grover called in amazement. "How are you doing that?"

Percy was standing in the middle of his own personal hurricane. Clouds of water vapor swirled around him, winds so powerful they buffeted Hyperion and flattened the grass in a twenty-yard radius. Enemy warriors threw javelins at him, but the storm knocked them aside.

"Sweet," She heard him mutter. "But a little more!"

Lightning flickered around him. The clouds darkened and the rain swirled faster. He closed in on Hyperion and blew him off his feet.

"Percy!" Grover called again. "Bring him over here!"

Percy slashed and jabbed. Hyperion could barely defend himself. His eyes kept trying to ignite, but the hurricane quenched his flames.

Percy couldn't keep up a storm like that forever, he propelled Hyperion across the field, straight to where Grover was waiting.

"I will not be toyed with!" Hyperion bellowed.

He managed to get to his feet again, but Grover put his reed pipes to his lips and began to play. Leneus joined him. Around the grove, every satyr took up the song—an eerie melody, like a creek flowing over stones. The ground erupted at Hyperion's feet. Gnarled roots wrapped around his legs.

"What's this?" he protested. He tried to shake off the roots, but he was still weak. The roots thickened until he looked like he was wearing wooden boots.

"Stop this!" he shouted. "Your woodland magic is no match for a Titan!"

But the more he struggled, the faster the roots grew. They curled about his body, thickening and hardening into bark. His golden armor melted into the wood, becoming part of a large trunk.

The music continued. Hyperion's forces backed up in astonishment as their leader was absorbed. He stretched out his arms and they became branches, from which smaller branches shot out and grew leaves. The tree grew taller and thicker, until only the Titan's face was visible in the middle of the trunk.

"You cannot imprison me!" he bellowed. "I am Hyperion! I am—"
The bark closed over his face.

Grover took his pipes from his mouth. "You are a very nice maple tree."

Lucia's hologram showed up out of nowhere, she pointed to the hole in the center of the tree. "Look at that it already has the spile hole. Pancakes for breakfast anyone?"

Grover yelped, and she disappeared just as fast. "Did you come just to make that joke?!"

"YES!"

Several of the other satyrs passed out from exhaustion, but they'd done their job well. The Titan lord was completely encased in an enormous maple. The trunk was at least twenty feet in diameter, with branches as tall as any in the park. The tree might've stood there for centuries.

The Titan's army started to retreat. A cheer went up from the Athena and Apollo cabins, but their victory was short-lived. Lucia felt prickles in the back of her neck.

Just then Kronos unleashed his surprise.

"REEEEET!"

A piercing ache stabbed through her forehead, and her bow dropped from her hands into bushes below.

You're mine

The squeal echoed through upper Manhattan. Demigods and monsters alike froze in terror.

Grover shot Percy a panicked look. "Why does that sound like . . . It can't be!"

"REEEEEET!" A huge pink creature soared over the reservoir—a Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade nightmare blimp with wings.

Lucia muffled her cries, she held her head in her good arm. The other one burned almost as much as it did when she first got stabbed.

Don't worry brat I'm coming for you soon...

"A sow!" Annabeth cried. "Take cover!"

The demigods scattered as the winged lady pig swooped down. Her wings were pink like a flamingo's, which matched her skin beautifully, but it was hard to think of her as cute when her hooves slammed into the ground, barely missing one of Annabeth's siblings. The pig stomped around and tore down half an acre of trees, belching a cloud of noxious gas. Then it took off again, circling around for another strike.

"Lucia!" Annabeth called "Are you up there!"

Lucia gasped, the pain hadn't come even close to subsiding but through some miracle, she regained senses and climbed down the tree.

She stumbled over after finding her now muddy bow

"Luz, What's wrong?"

"Hm?" she looked up, she wasn't thinking too clearly. "Nothin'. took alotta energy." she lied, "cool trick Aquaman. looked ho—"

REEEEET

"Mmm s'loud." She signaled to the pig, wishing it would shut the fuck up

"Don't tell me that thing is from Greek mythology," Percy complained.

"Afraid so," Annabeth said. "The Clazmonian Sow. It terrorized Greek towns back in the day."

"Let me guess," He said. "Hercules beat it."

"Nope," Annabeth said. "As far as I know, no hero has ever beaten it."

"Perfect," He muttered.

Lucia heard the sullen tone in his voice and she frowned, despite the burning pain in her head she was trying to play off, she knew Percy wanted a break as much as she did. Sadly, it seemed like a break wasn't coming for either of them anytime soon.

The Titan's army was recovering from its shock. They guessed they realized the pig wasn't after them.

They only had seconds before they were ready to fight, and their forces were still in a panic. Every time the sow belched, Grover's nature spirits yelped and faded back into their trees.

"That pig has to go." He grabbed a grappling hook from one of Annabeth's siblings. "I'll take care of it. You guys hold the rest of the enemy. Push them back!"

"But, Percy," Grover said, "what if we can't?"

Annabeth had bruises, cuts, and scratches all over her, Grover's magic had really drained him. Lucia didn't look much better (if at all)  fighting with a bad shoulder wound and in her now sluggish state. And the right flank of the enemy army was now between the Hunters and them.

Everyone was in bad shape, but that sow was the biggest threat. It would destroy everything: buildings, trees, sleeping mortals. It had to be stopped.

"Retreat if you need to," Percy said. "Just slow them down. I'll be back as soon as I can."

Lucia scrunched her nose up. The pain was spreading to the back of her skull. A part of her wanted to tell him to stay. To tell everyone how she felt...

She never would even if there wasn't a war going on, and others depending on all of them. People were in need and Lucia, no matter how selfish she wished she could be, couldn't. No matter how many times it would tear her apart.

Percy swung the grappling hook like a lasso. When the sow came down for its next pass, He threw with all his strength. The hook wrapped around the base of the pig's wing. It squealed in rage and veered off, yanking the rope and him into the sky.

"Lucia, you coming?"

"Mhm." She took a deep breath in and took a painful step forward.

Camp Half-blood is my enemy.