[Edited July 25, 2022]

[This chapter contains text from the source materials which belong to Rick Riordan and DC Comic Universe]

[June 19]

Nico had to admit that he wasn't paying too much attention to what the Centurions were saying at the head table. Seeing as he wasn't participating in the war games, he figured that it was safe to say that didn't apply to him. Besides, he was too busy trying to reign in Dakota and Don and considering what Percy's sudden appearance meant.

It obviously meant that something big had started. There had to be a reason that he had been delivered here now. Why it was so close to the Feast of Fortuna? What did it all mean?

There was more riding on figuring this out than just satisfying his curiosity. It might be a sign that it was time for him to make his trip into the pit. He had little doubt that some invisible countdown had started somewhere the moment Percy stepped foot in this camp. Nico had hoped that he could put off his mission for a while yet but he would bet that he would need to leave sooner rather than later. The sooner he could get those doors closed to keep monsters from making their way back into the mortal world, the better.

His mind wandered as he thought about what the pit might be like. He was picturing a claustrophobic cave system-- riddled with huge monster-filled pockets that he'd have to navigate. He pictured lava seams and holes that seemed to go on forever. He pictured all the ways he could be torn apart or eaten. He pictured collapsed tunnels and submerged portions like that one cave documentary he had watched with Damian. It had been truly horrifying. And he was picturing those doors, guarded by hordes of beasts who had been killing his kind for as long as the gods had existed.

Nico was eventually stirred from his deliberations by someone loudly clearing their throat. He wasn't sure that it was directed at him, but he turned away from watching Dakota use the shields as a musical instrument nonetheless. When he finally looked at the table to see most of the other centurions looking back at him.

"What?" He asked, knowing he had missed something. Normally, he would have felt embarrassed but he was too overwhelmed to process anything.

"You seem... preoccupied," Reyna noted. The tone of her voice was pinched and Nico hoped his face hadn't betrayed the nature of his thoughts.

"I was thinking about possible explanations for why the gorgons weren't dying." He lied easily. Reyna seemed skeptical but she also didn't question him. He figured that she would question him in front of her officers. He wasn't competition, like Octavian, who she would gladly rip to shreds for such a blatant lie. No, she probably knew that she didn't want her officers knowing what he had been thinking about so she would let it be.

"Really? And what have you deduced?"

"Nothing good." He replied simply. He didn't want to start a panic, especially among her senators-- they were officers, maybe, but they were still just teenagers. Reyna eyed him for a moment.

"I was asking you if you would rather participate in the games or observe. You don't have legion training, but I doubt that you are untrained either." She allowed for the subject change though the son of Hades was very sure that the other topic was not closed. Nico considered the offer. He was, in fact, very well trained, though he doubted that vigilante training would have prepared him for a fight alongside a Roman legion. The largest formation he'd ever practiced consisted of six people and wasn't what he would consider formal.

"I would be better off observing. I don't know any of the legion drills or formations. I'd only get in the way. Plus," He glanced at the group of Percy, Frank, and Hazel, "this promises to be an interesting show."

"Very well. You can borrow some binoculars and I will show you to a suitable perch where you can watch everything just out of the line of fire." Nico nodded in acceptance. She and the other centurions went back to discussing tactics while Nico rounded Don back up from where he had wandered off to a nearby table. After dinner, everyone got ready for the games and headed out to the fields of Mars where a completely new fortress stood where yesterday there was nothing. Reyna pointed him in the direction of a crow's nest perch before mounting her pegasus and taking to the sky.

Nico carefully climbed to the top with binoculars around his neck. He used them to scan the field until he picked out the trio he was most interested in. Percy, Hazel, and Frank stood together in a line of centurions. They stood out from the others-- Frank with his broad shoulders and the helmet that hid his youthful appearance. Hazel with her cinnamon hair that peaked out from beneath her helmet and was the shortest of the three. And Percy, who was tall and lean and had his helmet tucked under his arm and riptide in hand. He had always made these sorts of events interesting and Nico had little doubt that that would change now. He didn't know it, of course, but he was the most powerful demigod on that field.

Nico watched with interest as the centurions explained the plan to their cohorts and the base was fortified. Nico had to admit, the Romans were impressive. That fort had been built in a day. Their formations were impressive, and the battlements left nothing to be desired. He dearly hoped that the Greeks would never have to face them.

The Roman engineers had built an entire stone fortress with an iron portcullis, guard towers, scorpion ballistae, water cannons, and no doubt many other nasty surprises for the defenders to use. He caught sight of Hazel pointing out things on the fort to Percy who stared at it intently. Nico hoped the son of Poseidon noticed what he had. The Romans had made a critical mistake-- they really shouldn't have used water cannons.

In the sky above the troops, Reyna circled on her pegasus, Scipio, ready to play referee. Half a dozen giant eagles flew in formation behind her—prepared for ambulance airlift duty if necessary. He was the only one who wasn't participating, it seemed.

Reyna caught his glance and circled by his perch.

"Do you have your eagles ready for rescue?" Nico shouted. Reyna eyed him warily.

"My troops are ready. Are you suggesting that they'll be needed in force?" Nico gave her a wicked grin and Reyna turned Scipio back toward the field.

Hazel's POV-

The daughter of Pluto looked over the fortress as Frank explained the possible awards to Percy. In the middle of the explanation, he faltered and looked at Percy. "Water cannons."

"What?" Percy asked.

"The cannons on the walls," Frank said, "they draw water from the aqueduct. There's a pump system—heck, I don't know how they work, but they're under a lot of pressure. If you could control them, like you controlled the river—"

"Frank!" she beamed, having caught on to what he was going to say. "That's brilliant!" Percy didn't look so sure.

"I don't know how I did that at the river. I'm not sure I can control the cannons from this far away."

"We'll get you closer." Frank pointed to the eastern wall of the fort, where the Fifth Cohort wouldn't be attacking. "That's where the defense will be weakest. They'll never take three kids seriously. I think we can sneak up pretty close before they see us."

"Sneak up how?" Percy asked. Frank turned to Hazel and she felt her heart stop. "Can you do that thing again?" she punched him in the chest.

"You said you wouldn't tell anybody!" Immediately all the color left Frank's face and she could tell that he felt terrible. He'd gotten so caught up in the idea that he must have forgotten that it was a secret.

"Never mind. It's fine. Percy, he's talking about the trenches. The Field of Mars is riddled with tunnels from over the years. Some are collapsed or buried deep, but a lot of them are still passable. I'm pretty good at finding them and using them. I can even collapse them if I have to."

"Like you did with the gorgons," Percy said, "to slow them down." Frank nodded approvingly.

"I told you Pluto was cool. He's the god of everything under the earth. Hazel can find caves, tunnels, trapdoors—"

"And it was our secret," She grumbled. Frank blushed.

"Yeah, sorry. But if we can get close—"

"And if I can knock out the water cannons..." Percy nodded like he was warming to the idea. "What do we do then?" Frank checked his quiver. He always stocked up on special arrows.

"The rest is up to me," he said. "Let's go." she didn't have time to ponder what that meant before they were moving.

Frank's POV-

As it turned out, finding a tunnel was no problem. In fact, he had a sneaking suspicion that Hazel didn't just find tunnels. It was as though tunnels manufactured themselves to suit her needs. Passages that had been filled in years ago suddenly unfilled, changing direction to lead Hazel where she wanted to go. It was one of the most useful powers he had ever seen. It wasn't as powerful as Percy's powers, maybe, but it was probably more practical. She didn't need a water source to use them.

The trio crept along by the light of Percy's glowing sword, Riptide. Above, they heard the sounds of battle—kids shouting, Hannibal the elephant bellowing with glee, scorpion bolts exploding, and water cannons firing. The tunnel shook. Dirt rained down on them. He hoped that the Tunnels wouldn't allow the daughter of Pluto-- and by extension her friends-- to be crushed under the earth, but he didn't have much hope.

Frank discreetly slipped his hand inside his armor. The piece of wood was still safe and secure in his coat pocket, though one good shot from a scorpion might set his lifeline on fire.... Bad Frank, he chided himself. Fire is the "F-word." Don't think about it.

"There's an opening just ahead," Hazel announced. "We'll come up ten feet from the east wall."

"How can you tell?" Percy asked.

"I don't know," she said. "But I'm sure." Frank didn't comment, instead focusing on an idea that was forming in his head.

"Could we tunnel straight under the wall?" Frank asked.

"No," Hazel said. "The engineers were smart. They built the walls on old foundations that go down to bedrock. And don't ask how I know. I just do." He stumbled over something and cursed. Percy brought this sword around for more light and they saw that he had tripped over a hunk of gleaming silver. He crouched down to get a better look.

"Don't touch it!" Hazel said. His hand stopped a few inches from the chunk of metal. It looked like a giant Hershey's Kiss, about the size of his fist.

"It's massive," Frank said. "Silver?"

"Platinum." Hazel sounded scared out of her wits. "It'll go away in a second. Please don't touch it. It's dangerous." Frank didn't understand how a lump of metal could be dangerous, but he decided to take Hazel seriously. As we watched, the chunk of platinum sank into the ground. He stared at her, not fully comprehending what had just happened.

"How did you know?" In the light of Percy's sword, Hazel looked as ghostly as a Lar.

"I'll explain later," she promised. Another explosion rocked the tunnel, and they forged ahead. We popped out of a hole just where Hazel had predicted. In front of them, the fort's east wall loomed. Off to our left, Frank could see the main line of the Fifth Cohort advancing in turtle formation, shields forming a shell over their heads and sides. They were trying to reach the main gates, but the defenders above pelted them with rocks and shot flaming bolts from the scorpions, blasting craters around their feet. A water cannon discharged with a jaw-rattling THRUM, and a jet of liquid carved a trench in the dirt right in front of the cohort. Percy whistled.

"That's a lot of pressure, all right." The Third and Fourth Cohorts weren't even advancing. They stood back and laughed, watching their "allies" get beat up. The defenders clustered on the wall above the gates, yelling insults at the tortoise formation as it staggered back and forth. War games had deteriorated into "beat up the Fifth." My vision went red with anger.

"Let's shake things up." Frank reached into his quiver and pulled out an arrow that was heavier than the rest. The iron tip was shaped like the nose cone of a rocket. An ultra-thin gold rope trailed from the fletching. Shooting it accurately up the wall would take more force and skill than most archers could manage, but he had strong arms and good aim. Maybe Apollo is watching, he thought hopefully.

"What does that do?" Percy asked. "Grappling hook?"

"It's called a hydra arrow," Frank said. "Can you knock out the water cannons?" A defender appeared on the wall above them.

"Hey!" he shouted to his buddies. "Check it out! More victims!"

"Percy," he warned, "now would be good." More kids came across the battlements to laugh at them. A few ran to the nearest water cannon and swung the barrel toward us. Percy closed his eyes. He raised his hand. Up on the wall, somebody yelled, "Open wide, losers!" KA-BOOM! The cannon exploded in a starburst of blue, green, and white. Defenders screamed as a watery shock wave flattened them against the battlements. Kids toppled over the walls but were snatched by giant eagles and carried to safety. Then the entire eastern wall shuddered as the explosion backed up through the pipelines. One after another, the water cannons on the battlements exploded. The scorpions' fires were doused.

Defenders scattered in confusion or were tossed through the air, giving the rescue eagles quite a workout. At the main gates, the Fifth Cohort forgot about their formation. Mystified, they lowered their shields and stared at the chaos. Frank found his opening and shot the arrow. It streaked upward, carrying its glittering rope. When it reached the top, the metal point fractured into a dozen lines that lashed out and wrapped around anything they could find—parts of the wall, a scorpion, a broken water cannon, and a couple of defending soldiers, who yelped and found themselves slammed against the battlements as anchors. From the main rope, handholds extended at two-foot intervals, making a ladder.

"Go!" Frank said. Percy grinned in a way that made him question the boy's sanity.

"You first, Frank. This is your party." the archer hesitated. His party, huh? He slung his bow on his back and began to climb. He was halfway up before the defenders recovered their senses enough to sound the alarm. Frank glanced back at Fifth Cohort's main group, realizing that we were the only things moving. They were staring up at him, dumbfounded.

"Well?" He screamed. "Attack!" Gwen was the first to unfreeze. She grinned and repeated the order. A cheer went up from the battlefield. Hannibal the elephant trumpeted with happiness, but he couldn't afford to watch. Frank clambered to the top of the wall, where three defenders were trying to hack down the rope ladder. They didn't get the chance. One good thing about being big, clumsy, and clad in metal: he was like a heavily armored bowling ball. Frank launched himself at the defenders, and they toppled like pins. He got to his feet. Frank took command of the battlements, sweeping his pilum back and forth and knocking down defenders. Some shot arrows. Some tried to get under his guard with their swords, but he felt unstoppable.

Hazel appeared by his side, swinging her big cavalry sword like she was born for battle. Percy leaped onto the wall and raised Riptide. "Fun," he said. Together they cleared the defenders off the walls. Below them, the gates broke. Hannibal barreled into the fort, arrows and rocks bouncing harmlessly off his Kevlar armor. The Fifth Cohort charged in behind the elephant, and the battle went hand-to-hand. Finally, from the edge of the Field of Mars, a battle cry went up. The Third and Fourth Cohorts ran to join the fight.

"A little late," Hazel grumbled.

"We can't let them get the banners," Frank said.

"No," Percy agreed. "Those are ours." No more talk was necessary. They moved like a team, as if they had been working together for years. It felt as natural as breathing. The trio rushed down the interior steps and into the enemy base.

Nico's POV

The Greek demigod knew something like this was going to happen. It was Percy, for Hades' sake. The water cannon explosion was better than he could have hoped and seeing Hazel being an integral part of a team of three made him smile. It was clear. They were the quest. Chiron always said that quests should always be groups of three. Hazel, Frank, and Percy worked together just as well as any other seasoned warriors and it would have been hard to believe that they had only just met. It made sense that they would be the questers. Just look at how much trouble the fates, or a certain goddess, must have gone through to get them all here. Frank with his short lifeline, Hazel coming back from the dead, and Percy belonging on the other side of the country. This was meant to be.

Frank, Percy, and Hazel waded through the enemy lines, plowing down anyone who stood in their way. The First and Second Cohorts—pride of Camp Jupiter, a well-oiled, highly disciplined war machine—fell apart under the assault and the sheer novelty of being on the losing side. Predictably, part of their problem was Percy. He fought like a demon, whirling through the defenders' ranks in his typical Greek style, rolling under their feet, slashing with his sword instead of stabbing like a Roman would, whacking campers with the flat of his blade, and generally causing mass panic.

Nico couldn't really hear anything from this far away but he could tell that Octavian was saying something that Percy didn't agree with. The son of Poseidon somersaulted over a line of shields and slammed the butt of his sword into Octavian's helmet. The centurion collapsed and the son of Hades had to choke back a laugh. Nico only hoped that he'd have a concussion so that he wouldn't have to see him for a few days.

Frank had run out of arrows but he wasn't out of the fight yet, it would seem. He broke his pilum over a defender's head, then drew his gladius. It turned out that he was decent at this form of fighting too since it didn't seem to slow him down much. He had once said that he wished Apollo was his father but Nico was starting to have doubts. He was too adept at too many forms of combat for a child of Apollo.

Meanwhile, Hazel climbed onto Hannibal's back and disappeared into the fortress-- plowing through soldiers left and right. From this angle, Nico could just manage to see over the wall enough to get an idea of what was going on. He would have liked to have been a fly on the wall in this battle. From what he could see, the inner keep was virtually unguarded. Obviously, the defenders never dreamed an assault would get this far. Hannibal busted down the huge doors and disappeared inside-- taking Hazel with him. It looked like Frank and Percy were hot on his heels. Nico couldn't see what went on inside but he wasn't worried-- they had each other.

Soon, the trio marched out of the keep on Hannibal with the enemy colors. The Fifth Cohort formed ranks around them. Together they paraded out of the fort, past stunned enemies and lines of equally mystified allies. Reyna circled low overhead on her pegasus, passing right in front of his perch. She was so close that he could almost imagine reaching out and touching Scipio's wing. They made eye contact and he could tell she was amused. Nico smiled to himself as well, feeling proud of his sister and his cousin.

"The game is won!" She sounded as if she were trying not to laugh. "Assemble for honors!" Nico started climbing down the perch when he felt it. Someone had died. It was sudden and it happened after the game had been called. It was all he could do to keep a grip on the ladder as nausea passed over him. He caught Reyna's eyes as she went in for a landing and her eyes flashed with curiosity. Nico grimaced in response.

There was a murderer among us.

Frank's POV-

He had seen plenty of minor injuries— some burns, broken bones, black eyes, cuts, and gashes, plus a lot of very interesting hairdos from fires and exploding water cannons— but nothing that couldn't be fixed. He slid off the elephant and his comrades swarmed around him, pounding him on the back and complimenting him. Frank wondered if he was dreaming. It was the best night of his life— until he saw Gwen.

"Help!" somebody yelled. A couple of campers rushed out of the fortress, carrying a girl on a stretcher. They set her down, and other kids started running over. Even from a distance, he could tell it was Gwen. She was in bad shape. She lay on her side on the stretcher with a pilum sticking out of her armor—almost like she was holding it between her chest and her arm, but there was too much blood. Frank shook his head in disbelief.

"No, no, no..." He muttered as he ran to her side. The medics barked at everyone to stand back and give her air. The whole legion fell silent as the healers worked— trying to get gauze and powdered unicorn horn under Gwen's armor to stop the bleeding, trying to force some nectar into her mouth. Gwen didn't move. Her face was ashen gray. Finally, one of the medics looked up at Reyna and shook his head. Nico was at her side, though a respectful distance from her pegasus, looking grim. Frank caught his eyes for a moment and he could tell that the ambassador of Pluto was livid. This was the first time he had ever felt afraid of the smaller boy.

For a moment, there was no sound except water from the ruined cannons trickling down the walls of the fort. Hannibal nuzzled Gwen's hair with his trunk. Reyna surveyed the campers from her pegasus. Her expression was as hard and dark as iron.

"There will be an investigation. Whoever did this, you cost the legion a good officer. Honorable death is one thing, but this ... " I wasn't sure what she meant at first, until I noticed the marks engraved in the wooden shaft of the pilum: CHT I LEGIO X II F. The weapon belonged to the First Cohort, and the point was sticking out the front of her armor. Gwen had been speared from behind— possibly after the game had ended. Looking at Nico, definitely after the game had ended.

Frank scanned the crowd for Octavian. The centurion was watching with more interest than concern, as if he were examining one of his stupid gutted teddy bears. He didn't have a pilum. Blood roared in his ears. Frank wanted to strangle Octavian with his bare hands, but at that moment, Gwen gasped. Everyone stepped back. Gwen opened her eyes. The color came back to her face.

"Wh-what is it?" She blinked. "What's everyone staring at?" She didn't seem to notice the seven-foot harpoon sticking out through her chest. Nico di Angelo stepped forward but even he seemed reluctant to approach her.

Behind me, a medic whispered, "There's no way. She was dead. She has to be dead." Gwen tried to sit up, but couldn't.

"There was a river, and a man asking...for a coin? I turned around and the exit door was open. So I just...I just left. I don't understand. What's happened?" Everyone stared at her in horror. Nobody tried to help.

"Gwen." Frank knelt next to her. "Don't try to get up. Just close your eyes for a second, okay?"

"Why? What—"

"Just trust me." Gwen did what he asked. He grabbed the shaft of the pilum below its tip, but his hands were shaking. The wood was slick. "Percy, Hazel—help me." One of the medics realized what he was planning.

"Don't!" he said. "You might—"

"What?" Hazel snapped. "Make it worse?" Frank took a deep breath. Percy knelt behind her and helped keep her on her side while Hazel positioned herself next to Frank, holding Gwen's hand in her own.

"Hold her steady. One, two, three!" He pulled the pilum out from the front. Gwen didn't even wince. The blood stopped quickly. Hazel examined the wound.

"It's closing on its own," she said. "I don't know how, but—"

"I feel fine," Gwen protested. "What's everyone worried about?" With a little help, she got to her feet. Frank glowered at Octavian, but the centurion's face was a mask of polite concern. Later, he thought. Deal with him later.

"Gwen," Hazel said gently, "there's no easy way to say this. You were dead. Somehow you came back."

"I...what?" She stumbled against Frank and he had to steady her or they were both going to fall. Her hand pressed against the ragged hole in her armor. "How—how?"

"Good question." Reyna turned to Nico, who was watching grimly from the edge of the crowd. His anger had subsided some, but now his face was even grimmer. There was something massive about this event that only he knew about. "Is this some power of Pluto?" Nico shook his head.

"Pluto never lets people return from the dead." He glanced at Hazel as if warning her to stay quiet. Frank wondered what that was about, but he didn't have time to think about it. A thunderous voice rolled across the field:

"Death loses its hold. This is only the beginning." Campers drew weapons. Hannibal trumpeted nervously. Scipio reared, almost throwing Reyna. Nico practically bristled and his eyes shot to Percy. This guy was definitely hiding something.

"I know that voice," Percy said. He didn't sound pleased. In the midst of the legion, a column of fire blasted into the air. Heat seared his eyelashes. Campers who had been soaked by the cannons found their clothes instantly steam-dried. Everyone scrambled backward as a huge soldier stepped out of the explosion.

Frank didn't have much hair, but what he did have stood straight up. The soldier was ten feet tall, dressed in Canadian Forces desert camouflage. He radiated confidence and power. His black hair was cut in a flat-topped wedge like mine. His face was angular and brutal, marked with old knife scars. His eyes were covered with infrared goggles that glowed from inside. He wore a utility belt with a sidearm, a knife holster, and several grenades. In his hands was an oversized M16 rifle. The worst thing was that he felt drawn to him.

As everyone else stepped back, he stepped forward. Frank realized the soldier was silently willing me to approach. He desperately wanted to run away and hide, but he couldn't. He took three more steps before he sank to one knee. The other campers followed his example and knelt. Even Reyna dismounted.

"That's good," the soldier said. "Kneeling is good. It's been a long time since I've visited Camp Jupiter." Frank noticed that one person wasn't kneeling. Percy Jackson, his sword still in hand, was glaring at the giant soldier.

"You're Ares," Percy said. "What do you want?" A collective gasp went up from two hundred campers and an elephant. Frank wanted to say something to excuse Percy and placate the god, but he didn't know what. He was afraid the war god would blast his new friend with that extra-large M16. Instead, the god bared his brilliant white teeth.

"You've got spunk, demigod," he said. "Ares is my Greek form. But to these followers, to the children of Rome, I am Mars—patron of the empire, divine father of Romulus and Remus."

"We've met," Percy said. "We...we had a fight...." The god scratched his chin, as if trying to recall.

"I fight a lot of people. But I assure you—you've never fought me as Mars. If you had, you'd be dead. Now, kneel, as befits a child of Rome, before you try my patience." Around Mars's feet, the ground boiled in a circle of flame.

"Percy," Frank muttered, "please." Percy clearly didn't like it, but he knelt. Mars scanned the crowd.

"Romans, lend me your ears!" He laughed—a good, hearty bellow, so infectious it almost made Frank smile, though he was still shivering with fear. "I've always wanted to say that. I come from Olympus with a message. Jupiter doesn't like us communicating directly with mortals, especially nowadays, but he has allowed this exception, as you Romans have always been my special people. I'm only permitted to speak for a few minutes, so listen up." He pointed at Gwen.

"This one should be dead, yet she's not. The monsters you fight no longer return to Tartarus when they are slain. Some mortals who died long ago are now walking the earth again." Was it Frank's imagination, or did the god glare at Nico di Angelo? The child of death bristled more, reminding me of a cat trying to make himself seem bigger and more threatening.

"Thanatos has been chained," Mars announced. "The Doors of Death have been forced open, and no one is policing them—at least, not impartially. Gaea allows our enemies to pour forth into the world of mortals. Her sons the giants are mustering armies against you—armies that you will not be able to kill. Unless Death is unleashed to return to his duties, you will be overrun. You must find Thanatos and free him from the giants. Only he can reverse the tide." Mars looked around, and noticed that everyone was still silently kneeling.

"Oh, you can get up now. Any questions?" Reyna rose uneasily. She approached the god, followed by Octavian, who was bowing and scraping like a champion groveler.

"Lord Mars," Reyna said, "we are honored."

"Beyond honored," said Octavian. "So far beyond honored—"

"Well?" Mars snapped.

"Well," Reyna said, "Thanatos is the god of death, the lieutenant of Pluto?"

"Right," the god said.

 "And you're saying that he's been captured by giants."

"Right."

"And therefore people will stop dying?"

"Not all at once," Mars said. "But the barriers between life and death will continue to weaken. Those who know how to take advantage of this will exploit it. Monsters are already harder to dispatch. Soon they will be completely impossible to kill. Some demigods will also be able to find their way back from the Underworld—like your friend Centurion Shishkebab." Gwen winced.

"Centurion Shish kebab?"

"If left unchecked," Mars continued, "even mortals will eventually find it impossible to die. Can you imagine a world in which no one dies —ever?" Octavian raised his hand.

"But, ah, mighty all-powerful Lord Mars, if we can't die, isn't that a good thing? If we can stay alive indefinitely—"

"Don't be foolish, boy!" Mars bellowed. "Endless slaughter with no conclusion? Carnage without any point? Enemies that rise again and again and can never be killed? Is that what you want?"

"You're the god of war," Percy spoke up. "Don't you want endless carnage?" Mars's infrared goggles glowed brighter.

"Insolent, aren't you? Perhaps I have fought you before. I can understand why I'd want to kill you. I'm the god of Rome, child. I am the god of military might used for a righteous cause. I protect the legions. I am happy to crush my enemies underfoot, but I don't fight without reason. I don't want war without end. You will discover this. You will serve me."

"Not likely," Percy said. Again, Frank waited for the god to strike him down, but Mars just grinned like they were two old buddies talking trash. Nico had somehow managed to migrate towards Percy during the interaction and was standing a few feet back, looking ready to tackle him, should the need arise. This surprised Frank. He didn't take Nico as being protective towards anyone except Hazel. Maybe he had misjudged him.

"I order a quest!" the god announced. "You will go north and find Thanatos in the land beyond the gods. You will free him and thwart the plans of the giants. Beware Gaea! Beware her son, the eldest giant!" Hazel made a squeaking sound.

"The land beyond the gods?" Mars stared down at her, his grip tightening on his M16.

"That's right, Hazel Levesque. You know what I mean. Everyone here remembers the land where the legion lost its honor! Perhaps if the quest succeeds, and you return by the Feast of Fortuna...perhaps then your honor will be restored. If you don't succeed, there won't be any camp left to return to. Rome will be overrun, its legacy lost forever. So my advice is: Don't fail." Octavian somehow managed to bow even lower.

"Um, Lord Mars, just one tiny thing. A quest requires a prophecy, a mystical poem to guide us! We used to get them from the Sibylline books, but now it's up to the augur to glean the will of gods. So if I could just run and get about seventy stuffed animals and possibly a knife—"

"You're the augur?" the god interrupted.

"Y-yes, my lord." Mars pulled a scroll from his utility belt.

"Anyone got a pen?" The legionnaires stared at him. Mars sighed. "Two hundred Romans, and no one's got a pen? Never mind!" He slung his M16 onto his back and pulled out a hand grenade. There were many screaming Romans. Then the grenade morphed into a ballpoint pen, and Mars began to write.

Frank looked at Percy and mouthed: Can your sword do grenade form? Percy mouthed back, No. Shut up. Despite the horrible situation, he couldn't help but grin.

"There!" Mars finished writing and threw the scroll at Octavian. "A prophecy. You can add it to your books, engrave it on your floor, whatever." Octavian read the scroll.

"This says, 'Go to Alaska. Find Thanatos and free him. Come back by sundown on June twenty-fourth or die.'"

"Yes," Mars said. "Is that not clear?"

"Well, my lord...usually prophecies are unclear. They're wrapped in riddles. They rhyme, and..." Mars casually popped another grenade off his belt.

"Yes?"

"The prophecy is clear!" Octavian announced. "A quest!"

"Good answer." Mars tapped the grenade to his chin.

"Now, what else? There was something else.... Oh, yes." He turned to me. "C'mere, kid." No, I thought. The burned stick in his coat pocket felt heavier. His legs turned wobbly. A sense of dread settled over him, worse than the day the military officer had come to the door. He knew what was coming, but he couldn't stop it.

Frank stepped forward against his will. Mars grinned. "Nice job taking the wall, kid. Who's the ref for this game?" Reyna raised her hand. "You see that play, ref?" Mars demanded. "That was my kid. First over the wall, won the game for his team. Unless you're blind, that was an MVP play. You're not blind, are you?" Reyna looked like she was trying to swallow a mouse.

"No, Lord Mars."

"Then make sure he gets the Mural Crown," Mars demanded. "My kid, here!" he yelled at the legion, in case anyone hadn't heard. I wanted to melt into the dirt. "Emily Zhang's son," Mars continued. "She was a good soldier. Good woman. This kid Frank proved his stuff tonight. Happy late birthday, kid. Time you stepped up to a real man's weapon." He tossed Frank his M16. For a split second, he thought he'd be crushed under the weight of the massive assault rifle, but the gun changed in midair, becoming smaller and thinner.

When he caught it, the weapon was a spear. It had a shaft of Imperial gold and a strange point like a white bone, flickering with ghostly light. "The tip is a dragon's tooth," Mars said. "You haven't learned to use your mom's talents yet, have you? Well—that spear will give you some breathing room until you do. You get three charges out of it, so use it wisely." Frank didn't understand, but Mars acted like the matter was closed.

"Now, my kid Frank Zhang is gonna lead the quest to free Thanatos, unless there are any objections?" Of course, no one said a word. But many of the campers glared at him with envy, jealousy, anger, and bitterness. Frank tried not to wince.

"You can take two companions," Mars said. "Those are the rules. One of them needs to be this kid." He pointed at Percy. "He's gonna learn some respect for Mars on this trip, or die trying. As for the second, I don't care. Pick whomever you want. Have one of your senate debates. You all are good at those." The god's image flickered.

Lightning crackled across the sky. "That's my cue," Mars said. "Until next time, Romans. Do not disappoint me!" The god erupted in flames, and then he was gone. Reyna turned toward me. Her expression was part amazement, part nausea, like she'd finally managed to swallow that mouse. She raised her arm in a Roman salute.

"Ave, Frank Zhang, son of Mars." The whole legion followed her lead, but he didn't want their attention anymore. His perfect night had been ruined. Mars was his father. The god of war was sending him to Alaska. He had been handed more than a spear for his birthday. He'd been handed a death sentence.

Nico's POV

As the group disbanded, he headed back towards Gwen. Nico was planning on offering to talk her through what had happened later. She deserved that much and he was the only one here equipped to help her. This was the sign he was looking for. First Thanatos tells him he's captured but it isn't his place to save him. Now Mars himself has called a quest to save him and even directly mentioned the doors of death. There's no bigger sign than that.

The son of Hades knew that he had to get the doors of death closed. Freeing Thanatos would be a good start, but real progress would be made when Gaea could no longer control which and how many monsters get through. When he helped seal this gap in Erebros. The space in between the land of the living and the land of the dead

"Hey!" he called as some of the medics were trying to lead her to sickbay. There was really no point, of course, since she was completely fine. The medics eyed him with distaste before leaving to go take care of the other wounded.

"Oh. Hey Nico." She looked uncomfortable, not that he could blame her. He matched her pace as we made their way into the city. Nico caught Reyna's eyes as they passed and he could tell she wanted to talk. He nodded at her.

"I know you probably don't want to talk right now, and I get that. I'm staying the night tonight and I will be here tomorrow in case you want to talk. Ok? You've been through a lot today." Gwen relaxed. She had probably been expecting an interrogation.

"I'd like that, thanks. I don't think I'll be able to make sense of it all on my own." She admitted. Her voice was cracking and he hoped she wouldn't cry.

"Of course. Is there any time that would work best for you?"

"Reyna is calling the senate together tomorrow morning. I expect she'll want you there as well. Can we talk before that?"

"Sure thing. Just try to get some sleep ok?" The centurion nodded before joining some of her friends who crowded around her. Nico watched her go, deep in thought. Someone came up beside him and Nico didn't even have to look to know it was Reyna.

"You said it was going to be an eventful night." She commented. He snorted with derision.

"This isn't exactly how I thought it would play out."

"When you were climbing down from the observation tower... was that when..." she trailed off.

"When Gwen died?" Nico clarified. Reyna pursed her lips and stared out over her city. "Yeah."

"So it happened after the game ended." It wasn't a question, but he nodded anyway.

"You have a murderer in your midst." Reyna's eyes flashed at the thought.

"You know what's happening don't you?" Reyna accused. It wasn't a question, either.

"I have a pretty good idea." He agreed.

"The doors of death. Do you know where they are? What they are?" She looked at him but he couldn't meet her eyes. He was afraid that she would see the guilt in his eyes. She turned her gaze away and started for the city. Nico followed closely behind. She knew the answer but he responded anyway.

"Yes." The city was buzzing with excitement but not a single person approached them.

"Where are they?"

"Tartarus." There was a long pause as the hopelessness sank in.

"You're sure of this?" She stopped dead in her tracks, forcing him to stop as well.

"Positive." She sighed heavily.

"Then we're doomed." She sat on a bench and put her face in her hands. He considered his next words carefully. HE could pretend to be as hopeless as she is. He didn't have to tell her his plan. After all, he didn't even know if his plan would work. He didn't want to get her hopes up. However, looking at her in this position was almost more than he could handle.

"Not necessarily." He said at last. Reyna froze and looked up at him, her face curled in suspicion.

"What do you mean? You can't possibly be suggesting that we go to Tartarus." Nico shook his head and she frowned. He kicked the dirt at his feet.

"Not we-- me."

"Ha ha very funny." The son of Hades didn't laugh. Reyna sat back on the bench and eyed him incredulously.

"You can't be serious. Do you realize how you sound?" Nico didn't reply. He knew exactly how it sounded. Reyna laughed the kind of laugh that only came when you were trying not to scream.

"Think about it." He said after a while. "I'm the only one who has a chance. The only one the world can live without."

"That's not true." She argued. Nico didn't reply, not wanting to start an argument.

"Does this mean you know the big picture? You said the only one. The only one of who? You certainly aren't talking about all demigods. I can think of at least one other demigod we could live without, so, who is this group you are thinking of?" Reyna was wickedly smart. Octavian doesn't realize just who he is messing with. Then he realized what she meant and he laughed.

"One certain legacy of Apollo?" He clarified. Reyna smirked and he laughed again. It was strange, but standing there with her, he felt like he was finally somewhere he could eventually belong.

"I was thinking about the prophecy of seven." Nico admitted. Reyna raised her eyebrows.

"What about it?"

"Think about it, Reyna. Doesn't it feel like something has started?" He didn't know how else to describe it.

"Yes..." she seemed skeptical.

"Look, I know it's started. I don't have details, but I can feel it. I also know that I don't have a part in it. I'm meant to run interference."

"I don't know what you're talking about. How can you know?" Reyna was frowning. Nico shook his head. He couldn't tell her about the Greeks; she had to find that out on her own.

"Ok, Nico. Just promise me something." Reyna leaned forward.

"What?"

"Don't go to Tartarus on your own. Let the quest release death and then we can send our armies. Ok? Don't be stupid." Nico thought about it. He couldn't let them go through with this. It was a suicide mission. He couldn't let them come with him on a good conscience.

"Ok." He lied. Reyna seemed satisfied, though.

"So, I'm curious. Tell me about those mortals you stay with." Nico smirked and joined her on the bench.

"I took a wrong turn when I shadow traveled, figuratively speaking, and landed in Gotham City. I was too tired from the jump to make another one so I was stuck in the city for a few days. While I was wandering, I almost got hit by a car and was saved by none other than Bruce Wayne."

"The billionaire?"

"Yeah. I couldn't prove that I have family considering my mother is dead and my father is a god so I had to allow him to either take me in or put me in the system. He's got some connections so it didn't take all that long for the adoption to go through. I've been living with the Wayne family for more than eight months now. Probably close to a year, now that I think about it." He explained the condensed version of it.

"Why do you have so much freedom to travel?" She seemed surprised and he couldn't blame her.

"Part of the reason is that they figured out that I have powers. They think I got it from a witch or something-- a curse put on my family. They're from Gotham so it really wasn't that big of a stretch." he replied. Reyna laughed outright at that. Nico didn't think he had ever seen her really laugh before. She had a really nice laugh.

"Ok Mr. di Angelo-Wayne. Feel free to stay where you want for the night, though I doubt it will live up to Wayne Manor. I have a few more things to do tonight. I'll see you tomorrow and we can talk more, alright?" Reyna stood, looking less hopeless. He nodded and said his goodbyes. The promise weighed heavy on his heart.