On the road to Sixth Avenue, Lila spots many of her friends fallen on the ground, bleeding out. One or two cry out for help, but most simply smile up at her, wave her on her way, accepting their fate, or at least understanding the dire situation. 

That doesn't make it hurt less, to run past them. With each abandoned demigod she leaves behind, the campers from the Hermes cabin, the Aphrodite cabin, even Pollux from the Dionysus cabin, who is unconscious on the ground, Lila represses a sob. Yet she forces herself on. If she doesn't get to the final defence of demigods, to the height of Kronos's strength, all these demigods' sacrifices will be for nothing. So she continues to run ahead, ignoring them. 

It's a decision she doesn't regret. When she gets to the Avenue, it's clear to see that the Demeter cabin are entirely overrun. It's turned into a jungle, with all kinds of plants and trees growing out of the tarmac like weeds bursting into the air. 

When Katie spots Lila, her face breaks into a grin. Her right eye is black and bruised, and there's blood dripping from her lips, but she seems otherwise unharmed. "Reinforcements?"

"On the way," Lila promises. "We had to give up Central Park." 

Miranda nods grimly. She's limping, but has armed herself with a bow and is picking off demigods from a distance. "We have to hold this street, for as long as possible." 

Lila agrees. Exhausted - from running to the street, from turning Hyperion into a tree, from the hours of fighting she's been taking part in - she forces herself to dig deep, as deep as she can go, for any power she can muster. 

With some effort, the tarmac dissolves into a steaming swampland of mud, slowing down the advance of those demigods, forcing them to crawl through mud and water. Miranda picks them off with her arrows, while Katie summons more vines to help. 

Grover and his satyrs eventually join them, helping in the effort to slow down the enemy demigods' advance. Yet, for every ten they injure and maim, twenty replace them. 

They fight through the night, as the moon gets higher and higher. Lila weaves through monsters, slashing with her spear. Vines and poppies burst wherever she steps, pulling demigods and monsters downwards, but each effort tires her further, until she's near collapse. Slowly but surely, they're backed up foot by foot. Kronos's forces attack from the North, the South, the East, the West, slowly forcing all their forces backwards until they're only a block away from the Empire State Building in a defensive circle. 

"Hold your lines!" Katie shouts. 

Somehow, Lila's ended up beside Percy again. He seems relieved to see her alive, though there are more pressing concerns. He's covered in blood and dirt and monster dust, with not a cut on him. Lila's thigh is bleeding- she can't remember when it happened, and she almost doesn't register it, with so much adrenaline running through her body. It's not bleeding much, so she assumes it's just a minor wound, another scar, should she live long enough for it to brand her skin. 

A few blocks to the east, a bright line shines. At first Lila thinks it is sunrise, and then Hyperion, having broken through their enchantments. Then, with horror, she realises it's worse - Kronos, on a golden chariot. He advances slowly, leisurely, toward their final stand, like he's been resting for hours. 

This was all just a ploy, Lila realises. He's just trying to tire them out enough so he can sweep through them with a final blow. 

Annabeth appears beside them. "We have to fall back to the doorway. Hold it at all costs!"

Percy nods, opening his mouth to order it, when the sound of a hunting horn ripples through the battlefields. In reply, horns answer from everywhere around, the entire island of Manhattan replying. 

Thalia frowns. "Not the Hunters, we're all here."

"Then who?"

The horns get louder, like an entire army is approaching. Kronos's forces seem equally confused. Even Kronos seems unsure of what's going on. 

Then, to the north, the monsters cry out, surging forward. Lila flinches, expecting them to charge into her, but they don't attack, instead running forward into their southern allies. 

The air shimmers with the new day, dawn on the horizon. In a blur, cavalry appears.

"Yeah, baby!" a voice wails. "PARTY!"

Over their heads, a shower of arrows rains onto the enemy, vaporising hundreds of demons.

"Centaurs!" Annabeth yells.

The Party Ponies explodes onto the battlefields, hundreds of them, until the block is filled. Lila is beginning to register that they're allies, reinforcements - Chiron. 

"Percy!" Chiron shouts. He's dressed in armour from the waist up, and is grinning. "Sorry we're late!"

"DUDE!" Another centaur yells. "Talk later. WASTE MONSTERS NOW!"

He loads a paint gun and blasts a hellhound bright pink. As soon as it hits the hellhound, the dog yelps and dissolves into a pink-black puddle, simmering on the ground. 

"What is happening?" Lila wonders, open-mouthed. 

"I don't know," Percy sounds mystified. 

"PARTY PONIES.'" a centaur yells. "SOUTH FLORIDA!"

A voice yells back, "HEART OF TEXAS CHAPTER!"

"HAWAII OWNS YOUR FACES!" a third one shouts.

Somehow, the chaos is enough to unnerve the Titan army. They turn and flee, getting hit by paintballs, arrows, swords, baseball bats. Many are trampled by the centaurs. 

"Stop running, you fools!" Kronos yells. "Stand and ACKK!"

A Hyperborean giant stumbles onto him. 

"Advance," Percy orders. They begin to move forward, slashing through monsters and cleaving through the army. 

When they're several blocks back, Chiron yells "HOLD! On your promise, HOLD!"

Surprisingly, the Centaurs listen. 

"Chiron's smart," Annabeth says, wiping sweat off her face. "If we pursue, we'll get too spread out. We need to regroup."

"But the enemy—"

"They're not defeated," she agrees. "But the dawn is coming. At least we've bought some time."

Lila nods, looking around. Everyone is exhausted, but thankfully the last dregs of the army are fleeing away from the building. Percy wraps his arm around her, pulling her into his chest. "You're bleeding," he whispers into her ear. 

She pats his chest. "It's not bad. I'll fix it when everything is sorted out here." 

They set up a perimeter two blocks away from the building, with a command tent there. There are about five hundred Party Ponies, but it's not enough to hold more than a couple of blocks. Lila rushes over to Chiron, hugging him. Annabeth follows, while Mrs. O'Leary licks his face. 

"Ack," he grumbles. "Enough of that, dog. Yes, I'm glad to see you too."

"Chiron, thanks," Percy tells him. "Talk about saving the day."

He shrugs. "I'm sorry it took so long. Centaurs travel fast, as you know. We can bend distance as we run, so getting all the centaurs together was no easy task. The Party Ponies are not exactly organized."

"How'd you get through the magic defenses around the city?" Annabeth asks.

"They slowed us down a bit," Chiron admits, "but I think they're intended mostly to keep mortals out. Kronos doesn't want puny humans getting in the way of his great victory."

"So maybe other reinforcements can get through," Percy suggests, looking hopeful. 

"Like Clarisse," Lila agrees. "The Ares Cabin could come. Maybe Nico, too." Even as she says it, she knows it's not enough. They need a god on their side. How can a mortal, even one like Percy, compare with the might of an army of Titans? 

Chiron considers it. "Perhaps, though time is short. As soon as Kronos regroups, he will attack again. Without the element of surprise on our side . . ."

It's true. The Party Ponies may have startled him for now, but it won't last long. In a few hours, Kronos will regain his full strength, or perhaps more. Everyday he grows stronger, while their defences weaken. 

"And Typhon?" Percy asks.

Chiron frowns. "The gods are tiring. Dionysus was incapacitated yesterday. Typhon smashed his chariot, and the wine god went down somewhere in the Appalachians. No one has seen him since. Hephaestus is out of action as well. He was thrown from the battle so hard he created a new lake in West Virginia. He will heal, but not soon enough to help. The others still fight. They've managed to slow Typhon's approach. But the monster can not be stopped. He will arrive in New York by this time tomorrow. Once he and Kronos combine forces—"

"Then what chance do we have?" Percy wonders. "We can't hold out another day."

"We'll have to," Thalia says, her tone leaving no room for argument. "I'll see about setting some new traps around the perimeter."

She's covered in grime and dust, dark circles forming beneath her eyes, but somehow she pushes herself to her feet, staggering off. 

"I will help her," Chiron decides. "I should make sure my brethren don't go too overboard with the root beer."

Lila, Annabeth and Percy are left alone, staring at each other. Lila settles herself down on a piece of rubble, resting her aching legs. The wound on her thigh is beginning to sting, and she feels a little dizzy, but Thalia gave her some ambrosia and nectar, so she nibbles on that, feeling her flesh knit back together slowly. 

"At least your mom is okay," Percy offers.

"If you call fighting Typhon okay. Even with the centaurs' help, I'm starting to think—"

"I know." Percy swallows, meeting both Lila's and Annabeth's eyes. "Listen, there were some . . . some visions Hestia showed me."

"You mean about Luke?"

Lila nods. Maybe they've all been dreaming about him, all of them being haunted by their former friends. But Annabeth knew him the longest, and the best. He was only a brother, a mentor to Lila, and a friend to Percy. He was family to her. 

"Yeah," Percy agrees. "You and Thalia and Luke. The first time you met. And the time you met Hermes."

Annabeth pushes her knife back into it's sheath. "Luke promised he'd never let me get hurt. He said . . . he said we'd be a new family, and it would turn out better than his."

Ironic, considering it's turned out exactly the same. Some prophecies are self-fulfilling.

"Thalia talked to me earlier," Percy says. "She's afraid—"

"That I can't face Luke," she says miserably.

Lila wants to say something to comfort her, but there's nothing to say. 

Percy nods. "But there's something else you should know. Ethan Nakamura seemed to think Luke was still alive inside his body, maybe even fighting Kronos for control."

Lila frowns, considering it. Maybe that's why Kronos can only attack at night. But even if Luke is fighting for control, who's to say that he'd be on their side? He's always hated the gods. Would he ever have a change of heart?

"I didn't want to tell you," Percy admits.

"The thing is," Lila begins, voice tight. "You didn't know Luke before, Percy, I did. He was always like this." 

"Like what?" Annabeth's voice is grating. 

"Manipulative," Lila describes. "He always knew when someone needed something to hold onto. Whenever I was scared or afraid, he was there. Whenever I was upset, he was there. But he never made me feel better, he only made me feel afraid. I don't think he meant to. But he was so - so caught up in himself, he never stopped to think about anyone else. His pain was all he could think about." 

Maybe her words are harsh, but Annabeth needed to hear it. 

"The first time we met, he saved me from Clarisse," Lila recalls. "Yet, now, he gave up his life, knowing that we'd probably die for his choices. All for what? Respect? That's all we were worth to him." 

Percy looks to be repressing a vehement agreement, but Annabeth's eyes are filled with tears as she looks away. "For so much of my life, I felt like everything was changing, all the time. I didn't have anyone I could rely on. I ran away when I was seven. Then with Luke and Thalia, I thought I'd found a family, but it fell apart almost immediately. What I'm saying . . . I hate it when people let me down, when things are temporary. I think that's why I want to be an architect."

"To build something permanent," Percy imagines. "A monument to last a thousand years."

"I guess that sounds like my fatal flaw again."

They pause, and Lila imagines it - Annabeth, opening monuments, designing buildings to last a thousand years.

"I guess I understand how you feel," Percy says. "But Thalia and Li are right. Luke has already betrayed you so many times. He was evil even before Kronos. I don't want him to hurt you anymore."

Annabeth purses her lips, avoiding looking at both Lila and Percy. "And you'll understand if I keep hoping there's a chance you're wrong."

Lila looks away, avoiding the conversation. Instead, she focuses on letting her legs rest, her arms aching from all the fighting. Her skin is black and blue and a yellow-ish tinge in places, from bruises from different times and battles. The cut on her thigh is now nothing more than a dark red line, but Lila fears it won't heal further than that. Another scar to add to her long list. 

"What?" Annabeth asks, looking at Percy. Lila looks up to see them staring at each other, both confused. 

"Um...nothing, I guess." Percy steps toward Lila, checking the cut on her thigh - she swears his body relaxes slightly when he sees how far it's healed. Yet, he's still distracted, staring off into the distance along the road. 

Then, he suddenly bolts down the street.

"Percy!" Annabeth calls. "Where are you going?"

Lila staggers to her feet and follows him down, to see him staring at a blue Prius on the road. Inside are a man and a woman - Sally Jackson. Lila remembers her. Oh gods, Percy's moms here?

"They . . . they must've seen those blue lights in the sky." Percy pulls at the doors, panicked. "I need to get them out."

"Percy," Annabeth says gently.

"I can't leave them here!" He pounds on the windshield. "I have to move them. I have to—"

"Percy, just . . . just hold on." Annabeth waves to Chiron. "We can push the car to a side street, all right?"

Lila nods. "They're going to be fine." 

His hands are trembling. 

Chiron gallops over, looking confused. "What's . . . Oh dear. I see."

"They were coming to find me," Percy says. "My mom must've sensed something was wrong."

"Most likely," Chiron agrees. "But, Percy, they will be fine. The best thing we can do for them is stay focused on our job."

Lila looks more closely in the car, spotting something in the backseat - she points it out to Percy, and he visibly pales. It's the pithos, the one Prometheus gave them.

"No way," he mutters.

"That's impossible! I thought you left that at the Plaza."

"Locked in a vault," Percy agrees.

Chiron's eyes widen. "That isn't— "

"Pandora's jar." Percy explains, telling him about what Prometheus said, though leaving out some of the bits about Lila. 

"Then the jar is yours," Chiron murmurs. "It will follow you and tempt you to open it, no matter where you leave it. It will appear when you are weakest."

Knowing this is one of Percy's weakest moments only fills Lila with more rage. She can imagine Kronos crowing over every disadvantage they face, every blow they suffer. 

Maybe Percy feels the same, because he draws Riptide and cuts through the driver's side window. "We'll put the car in neutral," he says. "Push them out of the way. And take that stupid jar to Olympus."

"I'll take it," Lila offers. "Where should I hide it?"

Percy opens his mouth to answer, but is interrupted by a drumbeat in the distance, growing louder with every second. Lila doesn't recognise the sound, but she peers into the sky, to see a helicopter flying towards the Empire State Building. There's a bright green "DE" logo on it - Rachel. 

"What is she doing here?" Annabeth demands. "How did she get through the barrier?"

"Does she know there's a war?" Lila adds, equally confused. She figured Rachel would be kept up-to-date on that stuff. 

"Who?" Chiron frowns. "What mortal would be insane enough—"

Then the helicopter lurches forwards.

"The Morpheus enchantment!" Chiron exclaims. "The foolish mortal pilot is asleep."

The helicopter slides sideways, toward a row of office buildings. Lila's mind is blank, but Annabeth whistles, and Guido the pegasus swoops down. 

"Come on, Percy," Annabeth growls, her eyes stormy. "We have to save your friend."

Now, Lila has no problem with Rachel Elizabeth Dare. Actually, she quite admires her. Yet, after twelve hours of fighting, a wound in her leg seeping blood, and Percy's parents appearing on the street, Lila's running out of her usually endless patience. 

Annabeth and Percy jump onto Guido, flying up toward the helicopter. Lila wanted to come, but Percy took one look at her limp and gently told her to stay with Chiron. So now, she watches as the pair speed toward the helicopter, spinning everywhere. Guido dodges and swoops far more than Blackjack, which is probably keeping the two of them alive. 

Suddenly, Guido goes into a nosedive. They pass the helicopter so closely Lila swears she can see the blades touching them - she sees Annabeth grab the door, and for a moment everything seems like it might be okay. 

Then, Guido's wing slams against it, sending him plummeting downwards with Percy on his back, while Annabeth is left dangling from the aircraft. 

Chiron pales. "Lila, perhaps you should turn away." 

Lila ignores him. 

The pegasus and Percy fall straight downwards, hurtling toward the solid pavement. It reminds Lila of her dream of Icarus, except this time, she's Daedalus, watching someone she loves fall to their death. 

Before they can hit the pavement - just before, seconds before - the pegasus extends his wings, crying out like it pains him. They sail for a few metres, before tumbling back toward the pavement. Lila thrusts out a palm, trying to make the ground a little softer - she's not sure if it works. She doesn't have enough energy to create another swamp, but a little grass never hurt anyone. 

Both Percy and Guido crash into the pavement with a thud that echoes through the streets. Immediately, Chiron begins to work on the pegasus, pulling out his medical pouch. Lila rushes to Percy, checking him for injuries, but he's completely unharmed. 

Well, physically. His hands are trembling, either from exhaustion or fear as they both look up to the helicopter, Percy's hands tightening around her own. 

The helicopter continues to fall towards the buildings, spinning in the air like a huge pinwheel, out of control or human reaches. Just before it does, Lila squeezes her eyes shut, choosing not to look - but Percy only gasps, so she opens her eyes again, to see the helicopter hovering beside the building, before slowly tearing itself away. After what seems like an age, it drops to land in the middle of Fifth Avenue, Annabeth at the controls. 

Lila rushes forward, throwing her arms around her friend, squeezing her tight. After this, she's never going to fight with Annabeth again, no matter what. 

Rachel opens the side door, dragging out the pilot. She's dressed in beach shorts, a T-shirt and sandals, her curly hair tangled and matted around her face. 

"I didn't know you could fly a helicopter," Percy says to Annabeth in awe. 

"Neither did I," she says. "My dad's crazy into aviation. Plus, Daedalus had some notes on flying machines. I just took my best guess on the controls."

"Gods, Annabeth," Lila marvels. "I never really believed it but you actually are a genius."

Annabeth snorts, nudging Lila's side. 

"You saved my life," Rachel says.

The smile on Annabeth's lips fades. "Yeah, well . . . let's not make a habit of it. What are you doing here, Dare? Don't you know better than to fly into a war zone?"

"I—" She glances at Percy. "I had to be here. I knew Percy was in trouble."

Lila frowns. "How?" She can't imagine Percy contacting Rachel in the middle of the war. For one, it'd be too dangerous, and he's too noble to even consider putting her in danger. 

"I don't know," Rachel admits. "I just knew." 

"Got that right," Annabeth grumbles. "Well, if you'll excuse me, I have some injured friends I've got to tend to. Glad you could stop by, Rachel."

'Annabeth—" Percy calls, but Annabeth is already storming away. 

Lila looks back towards Percy and Rachel, wincing. "Sorry, I should - " she gestures toward Annabeth. "Nice seeing you, Rachel. You should probably try and get out of here, if you can." 

Then she turns and follows Annabeth, who has stormed into the building, the door quivering as she slams it shut with all the force she can muster. 

"You okay?" Lila asks. 

Annabeth turns to her, eyes watery, but not a tear falls. "I don't think so, Li. Why is she here? Did Percy contact her?"

"Of course not," Lila defends. "You know he wouldn't. I think something else is going on, something weird. Percy's mom tried to get here, too. Maybe it's something to do with them seeing through The Mist." 

"But she's not asleep," Annabeth insists. "Mrs Jackson's asleep. Every mortal is asleep. But not her."

"I don't know," Lila mutters miserably. "Look, let's just try and get some sleep. We have to defend Olympus again whenever Kronos decides to attack." 

Annabeth nods, teary eyed. "Yeah, okay. We both need the rest. I'm going to go check on the rest of my cabin and then I'll sleep." 

Lila agrees, promising to check on whatever's left of the Demeter and Aphrodite cabins, since she feels a little responsible for them now that Silena's gone to Camp Half-Blood. They're a little leaderless, and as much as Drew tries, she is a bit out of her depth. 

Then again, aren't they all?

next chapter is THE chapter. might take a bit longer to write because i need it to be PERFECT 

part 2 is now just over 50k words! i think maybe 25k more to go xx

have a good week!