•as the world caves in•

•hope•

I eventually found the burial shroud for Aphrodite, and after Silena had been moved up to Mount Olympus, I placed that over her.

Percy held my hand, rubbing his thumb on the back of it with reassuring squeezes every once in a while. It was nice.

We walked into the throne room where Hestia sat bundled by the hearth, and Rachel, holding Pandora's jar."

"Put it down, Rachel." Percy insisted.

"I can see Hope."

"Rachel."

She snapped out of her trance, and handed Percy the jar. I sensed they needed to talk about something, and for once, I trusted Percy with her.

I had lost Silena, I couldn't spend my time resenting Percy with the possibility of losing him.

"We'll scout around." I said, I looked up to Percy. "I'll be okay."

Percy hesitated, but he kissed my forehead, muttered something about if I was okay, and when I nodded, he gave me another forehead kiss before letting go of my hand.

I followed Annabeth and Grover out. We looked for more Greek fire to help the Hephaestus cabin set up more traps, and when we were done we returned.

Percy looked at me and smiled before returning to Rachel. "You won't do anything stupid, will you?"

"You're worried about me doing something stupid?"

Percy scoffed before holding the jar. He looked tempted, and I couldn't blame her. "Hestia, I give this to you as an offering."

"I am the least of the gods. Why would you trust me?"

"You're the last Olympian, and the most important."

"And why is that, Percy Jackson?"

"Because hope survives best at the hearth. Guard it for me and I won't be tempted to give up again."

Hestia smiled, and took the jar. The flames burned a little brighter. "Well done. May the gods bless you."

Percy nodded before walking towards a throne, his fathers throne. I glanced to my mothers throne, a perfect shade of baby pink, decorated with roses and other flowers.

I looked back to see Percy struggling to get on Poseidons throne. "Help me up."

"Are you crazy?" I asked. "The gods hate when people sit on their thrones."

"I need to get his attention, it's the only way."

Grover, Annabeth and I exchanged looks before interlocking our hands and hoisting him up. Although I couldn't hear it, I knew it caught his attention because Percy leapt, but eased at once.

Percy had a mental conversation with his father, and he started smoking, steaming. If he waited any longer he definitely would've blown up or something.

"I hope this works." Percy muttered as he jumped off the throne.

Thalia stormed in. "You've got to get down here. The enemy is advancing and Kronos is leading them."

•.•.•.•

Chiron had an arrow pointed at Kronos' face and Clarisse was frozen in a block of ice, so this was wonderful. Although I knew it was Kronos, it looked like Luke, and it pained me. When the dracaena queen twitched, Chiron quickly snapped his arrow at her and she disappeared. He was out of arrows and resorted to pulling out his sword.

"Luke was a hero," Chiron huffed. "He was a good one until you corrupted him."

"Fool!" Kronos shouted. "You will his head with empty promises. You said the gods cared about me!"

"Me," Chiron noted. "You said me."

Kronos looked confused and Chiron struck him in the face. It was a good strike, but Kronos was quick and slapped Chiron into a building, crumbling my teacher.

We rushed to help him but there was no sign. I spun on my heel. "You! I thought... to think..."

I drew my sword, anguish running through me, guiding me. I faintly heard Percy yell as I leapt to the Titan lord and struck him in his collarbone. The blade should've sunk and it bounced off and sent me flying back into the ground.

I yelped and cradled my bad arm, holding back the tears. Percy pulled me back as he swung his scythe at me, also grabbing my sword. I took it from him and snapped back to Kronos. "I hate you!"

The tears ran this time, and Percy slowly let go of me. "I have to fight him."

"This is my fight too!"

Kronos laughed. "I can see why Luke wanted to spare you. Unfortunately, that is not possible."

Kronos went to strike down at us, but a howl stopped him.

Mrs. O'Leary!

I looked to where it came from and sure enough she was there with a small figure in black armor. It was Nico.

Nico smirked as he neared us. "Too late to join the party?"

Kronos spat at him. "You have no business here and no chance to live, leave now."

"I don't think I will."

Nico raised a hand and an army of the dead, thousands of them, rose up from the ground, guns, swords, spears, any weapon you knew, they had that and more.

The sky grew dark as a chariot swept across the street of Fifth Avenue and Hades himself stopped next to Nico, Persephone and Demeter behind him.

"Hades," Kronos snarled. "I hope you and your ladies have come to pledge allegiance."

"We aren't. My son convinced me that perhaps I should prioritize my list of enemies. I would miss bickering with my siblings too much, and if there is one thing we agree upon, it is that you are a terrible father." Hades drew his sword. "Now fight me, for today the House of Hades will be called the saviors of Olympus!"

Kronos struck his scythe on the ground and a crack spread everywhere, encircling the Empire State Building. Outside of our circle, the city started to wake up.

Kronos was sealing only us off.

Hades fumed and shouted for his army to attack, and the final battle for Manhattan began.