Thia's POV

Quinn sat at the Heapheastus dining table with a bronze communication system up and running. She was thirteen years of age and a spunky individual but she carried a large burden many of the other campers didn't understand.

Her hands fluttered across the switches and dials as she listened intently for information on the search parties. Though camp was nowhere near the size of Camp Half-Blood or New Rome, New Athens was shaping up nicely; it was placed on the grounds of Order's old and collapsed temple. It seemed only right to build it there.

Cabins, albeit small, housed a total of fifty six campers who all varied in age and godly parent. They got along well and seemed eager to expand the safe haven so more of their siblings could be protected.

It was why Quinn found herself so interested in radio frequencies. It had taken some time to complete but she and a few of her siblings had developed small devices for satyrs to communicate with. The devices operated on a very thin frequency that monsters weren't likely to pick up. It also required a very sensitive receiver hence the big bulky sound board.

She sat listening every morning waiting for anyone to send word that a demigod had been found. She had been the first camper here and something, though I didn't know what, had left her rather damaged. Not in a broken sort of way, but in a way that didn't go unnoticed.

She was perpetually restless, anxious, and she often lashed out at other campers. I had to keep an eye on her, not for fear she'd hurt someone, but because I was concerned. She was young and refused help due to pride but I was slowly earning her trust.

"Thia, can you tie my shoe? Toby is busy so he said no." A little boy who I knew very well, Liam, a Hermes demigod, tugged on the sleeve of my white robe.

When we'd first met he was convinced that I was a Jedi from Star Wars. It took a lot of convincing for him to accept that I wasn't. "Of course, but you're getting close to six years old and that means you have to learn to tie your own shoes."

Sighing, I knelt down and he lifted his foot settling it on my knee. His small hand gripped my shoulder for balance. "I've been practicing."

"Good, keep it up," I smiled. With a final tug I completed the knot and set his foot down. "Now go find Gwen. I'm certain you have a class with her and some of the other kids."

"You got it!" He gave me a thumbs up before tromping off across the grass. The sound of laughter caught my attention and I glanced over to find the twins looming above Quinn's work.

They were very friendly and sociable children of Iris but Quinn didn't fancy them. With an agitated expression the young Heapheastus girl pulled off her headphones and glared up at the siblings. "Can't you see I'm busy?"

"I wanted to know if you were going to the arena later today for class," Tori smiled eagerly.

"Yeah, it'll be cool!" Her brother Shawn agreed with a nod.

"I have my own schedule," Quinn replied coolly. "I work alone."

"Please? How do you even train by yourself?" Tori frowned.

"Alright guys, I think Quinn just wants to focus on her work." The twins didn't seem happy that I'd interrupted the conversation but it wasn't going anywhere pleasant. "She might stop by later for a tiny bit, right?"

"Sure," Quinn mumbled, already reaching for the headset again. The twins took this proposition at face value and left.

"You really should try training with others. You don't have to do it all of the time, but a little bit would me nice." Moving, I sat across from her at the table. "Team work is important when you're a demigod. You often have rely on other people to get you through tough situations."

"So I've been told." Quinn relaxed, but only slightly. "Alright, I'll think about it but it's not a promise."

"That's all I ask for. No promise needed." She seemed surprised by this but I left her to her work and went on to check what some of the others were up to.

"For Narnia!" Mitch, an Ares kid only eight years old lead a charge across the small arena for young campers. The students attacked tiny straw dummies much to Luke and Andy's amusement.

"Interesting battle cry we have going on," I noted, remembering the time Maria had yelled the same thing during our fight with Chaos. Andy laughed and gave me a nod of recognition still trying to focus on the young kids to correct their technique.

"Well, it did work for them in the movie," Luke quipped, watching intently. "He's definitely a natural."

"I like Alex though," Andy smiled. "I'd like to see her match up with him."

"Playing favorites are we?" I asked, to which they protested. "I'm kidding."

"You have to hear this!" Quinn came sprinting into the arena dodging small kids and their swords. "I don't know what it is but it's creeping me out. It's not normal."

Andy and Luke shared a look with one another seeming to question if they ought to call off the training session to investigate.

"Stay here. I'll look into it." Neither boy seemed to like it but I followed Quinn out of the arena and back towards the dining area. Her hands shook with nerves as she tugged on the headset. Her fingers twitched anxiously as she shifted the dials and keys around until a look of recognition flashed across her face.

"Here." Pulling off the headset she extended it in my direction.

At first I didn't hear anything but the more I focused the more I was certain something was off. "It's quiet."

"I was connected to the East Beta channel. The busiest part around here. There's always back ground noise but it's stopped." Quinn's brow furrowed in worry. "And there's almost this whisper of sorts."

Her words began to fade as I listened. My focus has shifted elsewhere. There was indeed a whisper but it was a bone chilling one.

Tick tick tick
Tock tock tock
Tick tock tick

A series of memories flashed through my head from old stories my parents told me. Ones about the first large demigod war.

"The whole city was out like a light. Not a sound."

"There was an eerie sort of whisper up on the mountain. It was sort of like a heart beat only it sounded like a clock."

"Time went crazy. It slowed down everything. People couldn't even get into the city."

A sense of dread coiled in my stomach. "There's no possible way."

"What is it?" Quinn asked, fear etched on her face.

"Who are you?" The only way this person could connect to the receiver was if they'd gotten possession of a communication device. They had to know I was talking.

"I think you know little Savior." The voice sounded like gravel being turned to dust. Like the erosion of a cliff face over hundred of years or old buildings falling apart from age.

"How? You can't-this doesn't make sense. They ruined you!" I recalled the way Percy described the death. The way he dissolved into dust so fine it was suspected that another reformation was impossible.

"I have my ways little girl. Time's running out. Get a head start." The line went dead and static filled the headset. Pulling it free I leapt to my feet. Quinn must have seen the fear in my own demeanor because she cowered.
— — —
"Luke, Andy, Gwen, and Mariana!" I yelled. I couldn't waste time finding them individually. They must have heard my panic because each of them came sprinting in my direction.

"What is it? Is someone in trouble?" Andy frowned, reaching for the axe that always rested on his back.

I attempted to explain but the look that came over Luke's face meant he knew exactly what was happening. Somehow, he could sense it and I knew my assumption was right. He knew the feeling of that power better than the rest of us.

His face went pale and his eyes seemed to glaze over as his fingertips shook. "How?"

"I don't know, but we need to move. We have to figure something out," I insisted. Andy, Gwen, and Marianna looked between Luke and I with confused expressions.

"You can't run from him." Luke's voice was hardly above a whisper.

"I'm not worried about anyone else other than the kids."

"We can try to get them out of here," Luke nodded, seeming to finally shake his daze.

"Someone tell me what's going on?" Gwen demanded.

"Kronos. Somehow he's back. I can feel it. Remember how we thought things were acting different? How it seemed there weren't any monsters out and about?" I asked. Marianna nodded in recollection.

"That's because they're scared of him too isn't it?"Andy asked, swallowing tightly. "Things have been oddly quiet, and I worried about that, but I did not expect this to be why."

"You're serious." Gwen gaped in surprise. "Okay, we'll split up in groups then. Where do we go?"

"Head to the shore. We have emergency boats there remember?" Marianna suggested, her hands firing off faster than I'd ever seen before. Her words faltered for the first time in a while and I knew how terrified she must have been.

"That could work," Andy agreed.

Without much more to say we scattered. Of course, I'd have liked an explanation behind the Titan Lord's sudden appearance but now wasn't the time to ask. Now was the time to act as best as we could.

Some of the campers collected weapons and the few belongings they had before finding their own group leader. A hand grasped my shoulder causing me to jump. It was Luke.

"What are you planning?" He asked.

"I'm staying here. Someone has to delay his approach," I decided. The expression on his face was one of conflict.

"I can't let you remain here by yourself."

"If you stay he'll kill you indefinitely. I won't be able to bring you back to the mortal world again. I can't ask you to stay. Besides, the others-the kids-they need guidance." I watched as his face appeared to age drastically in a matter of seconds.

"So be it." He turned curtly on his heel and I thought he'd left permanently but he merely gave his group to Andy. He drew his sword with a warrior's elegance. "I have a score to settle with him anyways."

Part of me wanted to protest but he'd made up his mind. One thing I'd learned about him was his incredible stubbornness.
— — —
He reached camp quicker than predicted. I wasn't sure what I was expecting, but not something human sized. Gnarled armor covered obsidian colored skin that was twisted with scars. His atoms seemed to be shifting at a constant pace and fiery eyes glared from behind a helmet.

"Not quick enough," he sneered. It was hard not to stare or freeze in utter surprise but something tugged me from my stupor. With mustered concentration I called on my own powers.

White armor curled around my body with a soft light before solidifying. Two glistening blades fit snugly into my palms. "I will ask you once more. Why are you here?"

"I've come to finish what I started but I know now to eliminate the pesky savior before they get in the way and this time I'm strong enough." Kronos' voice tumbled around the small camp causing the kids to freeze with wide and fear filled eyes. "You just happen to be in my way of travel."

"And where were you traveling?" Luke's eyes narrowed. I wished he'd have remained quiet because it seemed Kronos noticed him for the first time.

"Home," he grinned. I barely had time to predict his move. He was a flash of gold and black speeding towards Luke when I lowered my shoulder and knocked him off course. The force of the impact sent me tumbling in the other direction.

Dust clung in the air as I righted myself. My gaze settled on the campers still frozen in surprise. "Go!"

Andy was the first to snap from his daze and shook his group from their stupor. He slung a little girl onto his back and took off at a sprint leading the troop of older kids.

An agitated growl sounded from where Kronos crashed into the dining pavilion. He rose to his feet shaking tufts of grass from his armor. "I have a feeling I'm going to like this...a lot."

With a sweeping arch his scythe cut through the ground sending out a shock wave. Closing my eyes my blades dissolved and I held my hands aloft focusing on the tremors. Though it took more effort than I'd have liked, my powers absorbed the force sparing some of the fleeing campers.

Already, I could feel my energy fading but there was no time to waste. Kronos withdrew his scythe from the ground and returned it to perch on his back. Tilting his head a monstrous crack sounded, "I'm only warming up."

"So am I." We met once again in the middle but his footing was stable where mine was not. With a violent twist I was thrown backwards into the wall of a cabin. The momentum was enough to shatter the wall.

Grunting, I blinked debris from my eyes and looked up just in time to see his form come barreling down through the roof. Rolling to the side, my foot connected with his knee sending him off balance. Taking the opportunity I fled the restricting space.

An angry cry was followed by a blinding white light that caused the cabin to splinter apart. A young camper gave a panicked cry attempting to evade the debris. They wouldn't make it. Without much thought I allowed my form to break apart before solidifying in front of the child.

Light reacted to my will bringing forth a shield that deflected large pieces of debris. Light travel was no different than shadow travel, in fact it was much faster, but also more draining.

"All of that for a little child?" Kronos laughed. A massive fist crashed down upon the shield causing it to fragment and recede. His spare hand hooked the back of my armor and once more I was launched in the opposite direction.

The landing was painful but adrenaline prevented me from dwelling on it. Glancing up I froze in horror as his blade arched down upon the child. "NO!"

The kid toppled to the ground eyes glazed and wound bleeding. Kronos didn't bat an eye. Instead he laughed. "One down."

"Hey!" Luke yelled, brandishing his sword. He was doing his best to get the Titan Lord's attention.

Raising his palms the surrounding area erupted into flames. The fleeing parties were stopped. Only Andy's had managed to escape and part of Marianna's. "Stay for the party. It'll be fun."

With a wicked flourish of his scythe he advanced. Gritting my teeth I lashed out clambering to my knees. A violent beam of light exploded from my palm and slammed into his armored form. The metal, whatever metal it truly was, bubbled and hissed melting down his form.

An angry and pained hiss rumbled from his throat. "You're beginning to be a nuisance."

"Stay away from them." The amount of anger in my voice surprised me but I didn't bother controlling it. His laugh set my nerves on edge.

"Or what? You'll tickle me?" He didn't expect me to charge. His reaction was slow, and with the sweep of his weapon I slid beneath its sharpened tip. With careful precision I called upon a knife that drove through a chink in his armored thigh.

Following the momentum of the slide I shot to my feet and turned to plant a kick in his back. Though wounded he was still fast and his hand clamped on my leg. Before he could do much, I twisted around in his grasp until his head was wedged in a choke hold.

Luke seized the opportunity to strike. Kronos tried to claw me free when Luke's blade plunged into the Titan Lord's side. At last, his large hands clasped the belt of my armor and tore me loose.

Falling to the ground once more I struggled to me feet, slower this time. Luke evaded the Titan's lunge and left a cut upon his wrist. With vigor he turned catching Luke off guard and batting him aside.

Breathing heavily, I dissolved until I emerged in his path and softened the blow of the attack. "You're not dying on me loser."

"You sound like your mother," he grunted, struggling to his feet.

"Yeah, I've been told that before." Blowing a strand of hair from my face I called upon the Titan's attention. As long as he was distracted the others could find a way out. Already, the wall of flames was dying.

The fighting turned more destructive than it had before. I couldn't avoid the tiredness beginning to slow me. Despite the Titan's injuries he still seemed fresh for war. My own only slowed me down.

His scythe arched upward in a nasty upper cut. The blade slashed across my chest and shoulder leaving behind a feeling comparable to acid in a wound.

"You're tiring little savior." The word 'savior' lingered in his mouth as if simply mocking the title brought him joy.

"I could do this all day." Spitting out a mouth full of blood and wiping at my nose I repaired the damaged portion of my armor. With an amused sneer he resumed his attack. We went back and forth for a matter of minutes.

When his foot slammed down into my chest I felt the snapping of my ribs. By now, the camp was in ruins and still no one had yet to escape.

Grunting, I gripped his ankle and with a violent cry shot pure energy into his body. The armor on his leg shattered and exploded outwards. His veins began to glow with blinding energy and his leg steamed. "Agh! Enough!"

Before he could act I clamped my other hand on the other side doubling the effort. The pain in my chest brought spots to my eyes and relief came only when the Titan lord was knocked aside by a furious Luke Castellan.

Breathing was nearly impossible let alone moving. Will power was the only thing that spurred me forward. Forcing tears from my eyes I staggered to stand for what felt like the hundredth time. What I saw made me want to accept my defeat. Kronos held Luke aloft and unconscious in the air.

"Leave him alone!" I demanded.

"Oh, but he's had this coming for so long." An evil smirk twisted his face.

"I said, leave him alone!" Flicking my wrists two silver knives shot forward and penetrated the armor of Kronos' shoulders. He stumbled and for a moment I thought Luke would fall free.

Instead, Kronos paused and brought Luke down against his knee with a violent force. The sound that followed made my blood run cold as did the agonized scream as Luke's back was shattered. He was dropped aside like a rag doll.

"Oops."

Hardly able to stand, breath, or see, all I could feel was anger and sorrow. Part of me wanted to use my last bits of energy to heal him. Heal Luke who lay broken on the ground but if I didn't live it would be pointless to do so.

"Big mistake." Somehow, I found it within myself to retaliate with such a violent burst of power the rest of Kronos' armor shattered about him and clattered to the ground leaving his already gruesome skin covered in blisters and open wounds.

"My turn."
— — —
When I woke the smell of smoke was heavy in the air. A giant crackling of fire greeted my ears followed by a wave of nausea that combined with pain.

Though I hate admitting it, a pitiful whimper curled from my mouth as my arms shakily righted me to rest on my knees. My armor had disappeared and my wounds were in need of attention.

The large gash from my torso to my shoulder was bleeding profusely. There was a sharp piece of fractured armor that had torn open my leg revealing shredded calf muscle beneath. My ribs were broken into pieces and my head pounded begging that I fall back into a deep sleep.

"Get up."  A familiar female voice clawed it's way into my head. "You must collect yourself."

"I can't."

"You must."

With tears hardly contained I crawled to my feet though my legs nearly buckled immediately. Stumbling, I found support when my hand settled on a boulder.

The kids

The thought slammed into me all at once and my mind became alert once again. I wished I hadn't bothered to look.

There were bodies everywhere. Too many of them. Merely two feet away from me rested tiny little Liam who hadn't learned to tie his shoes. Who never would learn to tie his shoes. "No."

Part of me wanted to kneel next to him, to hold him, but if I did I wouldn't get up again. Shuffling away from the bloody little boy I stumbled upon another familiar face. The boy who cried Narnia. He'd fallen beside Alex his sparring mate.

At least they showed no signs of external damage. At least they looked to be asleep. Yes, they were sleeping.

Hope, however little of it I had, flickered at the possibility that one of them might be alive. That they might be wounded and in need of help. Yet, one by one I took note of the lifeless faces.

The arena held bodies as well and amongst them was a trio. Tori and her twin brother beside...Quinn. Quinn, who didn't want to go to the arena. Quinn, who had gone anyways. Quinn, who if I hadn't encouraged to go may have been alive.

Then there was the broken boy. His blonde hair was marred with sweat and he shivered. Hope was sparked again.

"Luke?" My voice was horse and my throat was raw. I didn't bother to remain standing. It would have been more dignifying had I knelt but I simply collapsed. "Can you hear me?"

"Welcome back." A small smile graced his lips but he didn't open his eyes. "Took you a while."

"I can help you." Already, I was trying to call upon my power.

"No! Don't waste your energy." His hand moved shakily to pause mine. I was relieved to find he could still control his upper body from the looks of it.

"I'm going to get you help," I promised, searching for something that could help me lift him.

"Thia. Enough." His voice was firm.

"Please. You're the only one-" My voice broke before I could finish. Alive? Still here? Still breathing and talking? Still, injured. Hurt. In pain.

"You have to go. He'll be back. He forgot to finish his job. He left you because his blood lust distracted him. He'll realize his mistake and he will return." Luke's words seemed to cause him great effort.

"But-"

"He's right," Order agreed. "You must go to where I can hide your presence. You must leave within the moment or it will be too late."

"Hey, don't cry." His small chuckle seemed displaced considering the problem at hand. "Get going."

"I'll send someone for you. I promise." With a heavy heart and great effort I turned away from him.
— — —
The woods provided protection for the moment but it was slow progress. There was a satyr, however, lurking in the trees.

"What's happened?" His voice was quaking in fear.

"It's safer if you don't know but there is a boy back there. He needs help. You have to hurry before it's too late," I explained. He seemed reluctant but at last scampered off.
— — —
Crossing the ocean as I'd done once before in a boat with Andy and Leah was no easy task when alone and so brutally injured. My mind flickered to them.

I hoped Andy had kept going. I hoped he and Marianna met up and had a big enough head start to at least save someone. I didn't know how I was going to contact home and tell them what had happened. I didn't know if I was going to see anyone again. My parents or Leah or my cousins and friends.
— — —
Scaling the cliff side was a daunting task and I was running only on auto pilot. Rain hammered against me and drenched the rock face making handholds practically impossible to grip.

"Nearly there."

The words were of no encouragement anymore. Crying out in pain I moved up no more than a foot. Part of me wanted to let go and fall. To spare myself of the grief and hurt I would inevitably be left to sit with. The other part of me knew I couldn't do so. I had to live because I was needed.

Foot by foot, inch by inch, I finally slipped over the lip of a ledge and rested at the mouth of a cave. Rain filled my mouth and stung my cheeks with its icy fingers numbing my wounds and easing the fire of injury ever so slightly.

"Rest."

The words brought on darkness once more. That would be the only night I slept peacefully and for more than a handful of hours. One cannot sleep when they find images of slaughtered children burned into their eyelids. One does not sleep when they've seen a boy snapped like a twig or a child murdered like an ant being stepped on. One does not sleep after witnessing Kronos' destruction.

One will never sleep...