Atlantia's Beginning

Chapter 38: The final battle is upon us

When I awoke, I saw Clytius, the giant that had originally been standing over me, was being clobbered by a hoard of demigods. I think I saw Jason, Nico, Piper, Frank, and Leo all stabbing him in all different places before I saw Hecate stepped forward and burned him with her torches. Annabeth and Percy stood over me ready to fight. My ears didn't pick up any of Hecate's conversation with Hazel until her last statement.

"The House of Hades is unstable." Hecate said, "Leave no. We shall meet again." She disappears.

"She's friendly." Percy grumbled. Everyone turned toward us as if realizing we were there.

"Dude." Jason gave Percy a bear hug before dragging me to my feet and embracing me in one. We all checked in with each other and didn't return to reality till we saw the ceiling shuddered.

"We got to get out of here." Jason said, "Uh, Frank..."

"I think one favor from the dead is all I can manage today."

"Wait, what?" Hazel said as she cradled her ribs.

"Your unbelievable boyfriend." Piper began, "called in a favor as a child of Mars. He summoned the spirits of some dead warriors, made them lead us here through...um, well I'm not sure, actually. The passages of the dead? All I know that it was very, very dark."

"We'll have to shadow-travel." Hazel concluded.

Nico winced, "Hazel, I can barely manage that with only myself. With eight more people..."

"I can do it Nico." I say, "You're not the only one who can shadow-travel." I offer my hands to everyone and once everyone was connected called on the shadows to take us to wherever their transportation was. We ended up on a hillside overlooking a river. The sun was just rising and the cool morning air felt great to my skin. It has been so long since I felt anything like this.

"Atlantia!" I heard someone say and judging by their tone, it wasn't the first time they have called my name. I turn and see everyone staring at me concern written in their eyes.

"Atlantia, you alright?" Jason asked.

"Yeah, it's just been a while since I have been out in the sun. I don't even know how long I've been in Tartarus." I admitted. Piper gave me a hug even though we didn't know each other that well. Eventually we make our way to their flying ship that Leo tells me they named Argo II. Reyna was there and I knew why since Annabeth told me she sent a message to her while they were in Tartarus. After much discussion with Reyna, we decide that Nico, and Coach Hedge will return to Camp Half-Blood with Reyna via shadow travel. Once that was decided, Nico went to rest up while the rest of us prepared for their departure which was going to be at sunset. I stood at the front of the ship overlooking the bow when Leo came walking over to me.

"Hey, you doing ok? I mean you probably not after living in Tartarus for like the last month and a half but you ok?" Leo asked me.

"I'll be alright one day." I admit looking out at the view. "Probably won't be for a while but I will be. You alright? You seem heartbroken?" He looked surprised at that so I add, "My mother is Aphrodite. I have this ability to spot heartache."

He chuckles and tells me about his experience with Calypso, the titan's daughter who was exiled on that island.

"Well, I know you two will meet again." I say, "I know you two will get to grow old together."

Leo smiles at that, "Thanks for that." I nod my head when I spot a huge group of monsters coming our way. There was no way we could outrun them and especially with Nico, Reyna, and Coach Hedge not ready to leave.

"Alert, Nico, Reyna, and Coach Hedge." I tell Leo, "Tell them to prepare to leave and then once they leave get this ship in the air. Don't wait for me."