( chapter thirty-two )

in which they fight

NIA'S MIND WAS GOING A MILE A MINUTE.

Thalia went straight for Luke. The power of her shield was so great that his dragon-women bodyguards fled in a panic, dropping the golden coffin and leaving him alone. But despite his sickly appearance, Luke was still quick with his sword. He snarled like a wild animal and counterattacked. When his sword, Backbiter, met Thalia's shield, a ball of lightning erupted between them, frying the air with yellow tendrils of power.

So that was Luke taken care of.

Percy and Zoë, on the other hand, were going for the Titan Lord Atlas, like the idiots they were. Nia hoped that the two of them could hold their own until she could figure things out.

That left Nia to free Annabeth and her mother.

Tuning everything else out, Nia hurriedly searched her hunting bag for another random knife and tossed it to Annabeth. "Here!"

Annabeth gave her a look of thanks from the ground, grasped the knife, and desperately began to free her hands from their bonds.

Nia nodded after seeing Annabeth grab the knife, then turned to her mother. Grabbing her dagger, she quickly slashed Artemis's chains.

"Run, my child," she said desperately. Artemis didn't look so good from literally holding up the weight of the sky. Her forehead was beaded with metallic sweat, like quicksilver. "You must run!"

"What kind of daughter would that make me?"

"A safe one!"

Nia chose to ignore her mother's orders; you know, like an idiot. She knew that the only way for Artemis to stop holding the sky was for someone else to take her place. She also knew that her mother was the one who needed to fight Atlas. Artemis stood a better chance than any of them.

Suddenly, Percy slammed into the ground right next to Nia and Artemis. Atlas had landed a pretty bruising hit.

"Percy!" Nia rushed to his side. His eyes barely focused on her. Nia looked behind her. Atlas was taking his time coming for them. Nia could try fighting, but that would only lead her in the same condition that Percy was in. 

Their time was up. Atlas smiled evilly. "Die, little heroes." He raised his javelin, and just before Nia thought it was over...

"No!" Zoë yelled, and a volley of silver arrows sprouted from the armpit chink in Atlas's armor. 

"ARGH!" He bellowed and turned toward his daughter.

Percy struggled to his feet and turned to Artemis. "The sky. Give it to me."

"What?" Nia screeched, and Artemis shook her head.

"No, boy," she said. "You don't know what you're asking. It will crush you!" 

"Annabeth took it!" 

"She barely survived. She had the spirit of a true huntress. You will not last so long." 

"Percy -- !" Nia started to say, but he turned to her.

"Nia, the moon is still out. You have more strength than me right now. This is what the prophecy was talking about!"

A chill went down Nia's back. The Titan's curse must one withstand. This was it. Percy had to take the weight. He was the only one who could. And besides, Percy was right -- the moon was still shining. Nia would have a better chance at fighting than him. But that didn't stop her from protesting. "You'll die!"

"I'll die anyway," Percy swallowed, then turned back to Artemis. "Give me the weight of the sky!"

Percy didn't wait for an answer. He stepped next to Artemis and braced himself on one knee -- holding up his hands -- and touched the cold, heavy clouds. For a moment, the two of them bore the weight together. Then, Artemis slipped out from under the burden, and Percy held it alone.

Immediately, Artemis stepped in to help Zoë fight Atlas, and Nia knew she had to help them. But before she went, she kissed Percy's cheek. "Don't die."

Then she went to fight.

Atlas was in full battle armor, jabbing with his javelin, laughing insanely as he fought. And Artemis, a blur of silver. She had two wicked hunting knives, each as long as her arm, and she slashed wildly at the Titan, dodging and leaping with unbelievable grace. She seemed to change form as she maneuvered. She was a tiger, a gazelle, a bear, a falcon. Nia constantly had to remind herself that they were literally fighting for their lives and not to watch her mother's insanely cool fighting.

Zoë shot arrows at her father, aiming for the chinks in his armor. He roared in pain each time one found its mark, but they affected him like bee stings. He just got madder and kept on fighting.

Nia drew her dagger and slashed Atlas wherever her mother wasn't attacking him. It was a long process, and she was getting more and more tired by the minute. She wouldn't be able to last much longer.

Eventually, Nia managed to nick Atlas and make him bleed ichor, the golden blood of the gods. But it wasn't enough, not by a long shot. She was exhausted. She couldn't think. Sweat poured down her face.

"All that... for a drop of my blood." Atlas gave her an evil smile. Then, he slashed her abdomen with his javelin and swatted her aside like a fly.

"No!" Artemis cried out in rage.

Nia slammed into the ground, her head spinning. The pain was almost blinding. She wondered if the pain would disappear if she closed her eyes. Annabeth scrambled towards her, hands finally free.

Nia couldn't focus on anything. Annabeth's voice was warbling at her, trying to get her to stay awake, but it was like she was underwater. Nia turned her attention to the bright shining moon. Its rays were only a few feet away from her.

Nia liked the moon. It was pretty. She figured that if this was the way she going out, at least it was while she was looking at something as beautiful as the moon.

The moon. The moon has light. Moonlight. Moonlight!

Immediately, Nia tried to move over to the beams. Only a few feet! Come on, Nia! But she knew that that wouldn't work. She was barely strong enough to focus on Annabeth's face, much less move her body.

Nia shifted her eyes to the sight of the moon. She didn't think of anything else but the moonlight. Her life depended on whether or not she was able to do this.

She begged and prayed to anything that was out there, anyone that might be listening. Please, please... Let this work.

Suddenly, the beams of moonlight drifted over to Nia, gliding all over her body. Annabeth stared, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. 

As soon as the rays hit Nia, she felt the fog clear from her mind a little. Sitting up slightly, she assessed the damage that Atlas had done. It was a pretty deep and nasty cut, but Nia tried not to panic. Panic would get her nowhere.

Nia reached out to the moon, and, like always, the moonlight curved and bent to her will. Shaping the moonlight into a long string, Nia carefully lined the string of white silvery light along with her cut, letting her body absorb it.

Instantly, the cut started to seal itself, stopping the blood and letting the moonlight work its magic. Nia no longer felt the blinding pain that she had before. It was more dulling now. She figured that, once she ate some ambrosia or nectar, she would barely feel the pain at all. In a couple of days, the scar would be reduced to a fainting line.

"How...?" Annabeth was gawking at Nia, her mouth open. "How did you--"

"I'll explain later," Nia said, still lethargic from using the power. She hadn't practiced enough -- not really -- and now she was paying the price for it. "We've got a job to do."

Nia looked over at Percy, still straining under the weight of the sky. Atlas was advancing, pressing Artemis. She was fast, but his strength was unstoppable. His javelin slammed into the earth where Artemis had been a split second before, and a fissure opened in the rocks. He leaped over it and kept pursuing her.

Nia quickly realized what her mother was doing; Artemis was leading Atlas back toward Percy, back toward the weight of the sky.

"You fight well for a girl," Atlas laughed, "but you are no match for me." He feinted with the tip of his javelin and Artemis dodged. Nia saw the trick coming. Atlas's javelin swept around and knocked Artemis's legs off the ground. She fell, and Atlas brought up his javelin tip for the kill. 

"No!" Zoë screamed. She leaped between her father and Artemis and shot an arrow straight into the Titan's forehead, where it lodged like a unicorn's horn. Atlas bellowed in rage. He swept aside his daughter with the back of his hand, sending her flying into the black rocks. 

"Zoë!" Nia couldn't even see where Zoë had landed. If she tried to run to her blindly, she would get caught in the crossfire. She hoped that Zoë could hold on until she could come and heal her.

Then Atlas turned on Nia's mother with a look of triumph on his face. Artemis seemed to be wounded. She didn't get up.

"The first blood in a new war," Atlas gloated. And he stabbed downward. 

As fast as thought, Artemis grabbed his javelin shaft. It hit the earth right next to her and she pulled backward, using the javelin like a lever, kicking the Titan Lord and sending him flying over her, heading straight for Percy.

As Atlas slammed into Percy, he didn't even try to hold on. He let himself be pushed out of the way and rolled.

The weight of the sky dropped onto Atlas's back, almost smashing him flat until he managed to get to his knees, struggling to get out from under the crushing weight of the sky. But it was too late. 

"Noooooo!" He bellowed so hard it shook the mountain. "Not again!" 

Atlas was trapped under his old burden.

Sighing with relief, Nia watched Percy try to stand, but he fell back, looking dazed. Nia stumbled over to him and helped him get to his feet.

Meanwhile, Thalia backed Luke to the edge of a cliff, but still, they fought next to the golden coffin. Thalia had tears in her eyes. Luke had a bloody slash across his chest and his pale face glistened with sweat. He lunged at Thalia and she slammed him with her shield. Luke's sword spun out of his hands and clattered to the rocks. Thalia put her spear point to his throat. 

For a moment, there was silence. 

"Well?" Luke asked. He tried to hide it, but Nia could hear the fear in his voice. Thalia trembled with fury. 

Nia wanted to call out, Do it! But she didn't have the strength.

Behind her, Annabeth came scrambling, finally free from her bonds. Her face was bruised and streaked with dirt. "Don't kill him!" 

"He's a traitor," Thalia said. "A traitor!" 

Nia realized that Artemis was no longer with them. She had run off toward the black rocks where Zoë had fallen. That was good. Her mother could take care of Zoë while they dealt with Luke.

"Annabeth..." Nia looked at her best friend. "We can't--"

"We'll bring Luke back," Annabeth pleaded. "To Olympus. He... He'll be useful."

"Is that what you want, Thalia?" Luke sneered. "To go back to Olympus in triumph? To please your dad?" 

Thalia hesitated, and Luke made a desperate grab for her spear. 

"No!" Annabeth shouted. But it was too late. Without thinking, Thalia kicked Luke away. He lost his balance, terror on his face, and then he fell.

"Luke!" Annabeth screamed. All four of them rushed to the cliff's edge. Below, the army from the Princess Andromeda had stopped in amazement. They were staring at Luke's broken form on the rocks. 

Despite how much Nia hated him, as much pain as Luke had put her, Thalia, and Annabeth under, Nia couldn't stand to see it. She desperately wanted to believe Luke was still alive, but that was impossible. The fall was fifty feet at least, and he wasn't moving. "No..."

One of the giants looked up and growled, "Kill them!" 

Thalia was stiff with grief, tears streaming down her cheeks. Nia wanted to go down, to get a closer look, but she was smarter than that. Percy pulled her back as a wave of javelins sailed over their heads. The four of them ran for the rocks, ignoring the curses and threats of Atlas as they passed. 

Nia yelled out to Artemis, "Mom!" 

Her mother looked up, her face grief-stricken. Zoë lay in the goddess's arms. She was breathing. Her eyes were open. But still...

"The wound is poisoned," Artemis said. 

"Atlas poisoned her?" Percy asked. 

"No," the goddess said. "Not Atlas." She showed them the wound in Zoë's side. Nia's mouth dropped open in horror. The bite from Ladon was much worse than Zoë had let on. Nia could barely look at the wound. Zoë Nightshade, the strong lieutenant, had charged into battle against her father with a horrible cut already sapping her strength. 

"The stars," Zoë murmured. "I cannot see them."

"Nectar and ambrosia," Percy said. "Come on! We have to get her some."

No one moved. Grief hung in the air. The army of Kronos was just below the rise. Even Artemis was too shocked to stir. They might've met their doom right then and there, but then Nia heard a strange buzzing noise. 

Just as the army of monsters came over the hill, a Sopwith Camel swooped down out of the sky. 

"Get away from my daughter!" Dr. Chase called down, and his machine guns burst to life, peppering the ground with bullet holes and startling the whole group of monsters into scattering. 

"Dad?" yelled Annabeth in disbelief.

"Run!" he called back, his voice growing fainter as the biplane swooped by. 

This shook Artemis out of her grief. She stared up at the antique plane, which was now banking around for another strafe. 

"A brave man," Artemis said with grudging approval. "Come. We must get Zoë away from here." She raised her hunting horn to her lips, and its clear sound echoed down the valleys of Marin. Zoë's eyes were fluttering.

"Hang in there!" Percy told her. "It'll be all right!"

Nia hoped that he would be right.

The Sopwith Camel swooped down again. A few giants threw javelins, and one flew straight between the wings of the plane, but the machine guns blazed. 

Nia slowly realized with absolute amazement that, somehow, Dr. Chase must've gotten hold of celestial bronze to fashion his bullets. The first row of snake women wailed as the machine gun's volley blew them into sulfurous yellow powder. 

"That's... my dad!" Annabeth said in amazement. But they didn't have any time to admire his flying. The giants and snake women were already recovering from their surprise. Dr. Chase would be in trouble soon. 

Just then, the moonlight brightened, and a silver chariot appeared from the sky, drawn by the most beautiful deer Nia had ever seen. It landed right next to them.

"Get in," said Artemis.

Annabeth and Nia helped get Thalia on board. Then Nia and Percy helped Artemis with Zoë. They wrapped Zoë in a blanket as Artemis pulled the reins and the chariot sped away from the mountain, straight into the air. 

"Like Santa Claus's sleigh," Percy murmured, still dazed with pain. 

Nia furrowed her brows in confusion, but her mother took the time to look back at Percy. "Indeed, young half-blood. And where do you think that legend came from?" 

Seeing them safely away, Dr. Chase turned his biplane and followed like an honor guard. It must have been one of the strangest sights ever, even for the Bay Area: a silver flying chariot pulled by deer, escorted by a Sopwith Camel. 

Behind them, the army of Kronos roared in anger as they gathered on the summit of Mount Tamalpais, but the loudest sound was the voice of Atlas, bellowing curses against the gods as he struggled under the weight of the sky.

THEY LANDED AT CRISSY FIELD AFTER NIGHTFALL.

As soon as Dr. Chase stepped out of his Sopwith Camel, Annabeth ran to him and gave him a huge hug. Percy and Nia also ran over with her.

"Dad! You flew... You shot... Oh, my gods! That was the most amazing thing I've ever seen!" 

Her father blushed. "Well, not bad for a middle-aged mortal, I suppose." 

"But the celestial bronze bullets! How did you get those?" 

"Ah, well. You did leave quite a few half-blood weapons in your room in Virginia, the last time you... left." 

Annabeth looked down, embarrassed. Nia noticed that Dr. Chase was very careful not to say ran away. "I decided to try melting some down to make bullet casings. Just a little experiment." He said it like it was no big deal, but he had a certain gleam in his eye. 

Suddenly, Nia understood why Athena, Goddess of Crafts and Wisdom, had taken a liking to him. He was an excellent mad scientist at heart. 

Annabeth faltered. "Dad..."

"Nia, Annabeth, Percy," Thalia interrupted, her voice urgent. She and Artemis were all kneeling at Zoë's side, binding the huntress's wounds.

Immediately, all three of them ran back, but there wasn't much that any of them could do. There was no ambrosia or nectar, not even in Nia's hunting bag. No regular medicine would help. Nia tried to use her lunakinesis again, but it wasn't working like before. She guessed that it was because of burnout -- that was a pretty nasty scar that Atlas had given her.

But Nia would've taken it all back if it meant that she could save Zoë.

It was dark, but Nia could see that Zoë didn't look good. She was shivering, and the faint glow that usually hung around her was fading. Nia didn't like that at all.

"Can't you heal her with magic?" Percy asked Artemis. "I mean... You're a goddess." 

Artemis looked troubled. "Life is a fragile thing, Percy. If the Fates will the string to be cut, there is little I can do. But I can try." She tried to set her hand on Zoë's side, but Zoë gripped her wrist. She looked into the goddess's eyes, and some kind of understanding passed between them.

"Have I... served thee well?" Zoë whispered. 

"With great honor," Artemis said softly. "The finest of my attendants." 

Zoë's face relaxed. "Rest. At last." 

"I can try to heal the poison, my brave one."

But at that moment, Nia knew it wasn't just the poison that was killing her. It was her father's final blow. Zoë had known all along that the Oracle's prophecy was about her: she would die by a parent's hand. And yet she'd taken the quest anyway. 

Nia let out a choked sob. "Zoë..."

"I know," Zoë said, grasping Nia's hand and faintly squeezed it. Nia tried to put everything she felt for Zoë in squeezing back: love, admiration, respect, and everything else that she would never get a chance to say again.

Luckily for Nia, Zoë understood perfectly. She sighed, a small smile on her face. "Thank you, my sister." Zoë moved her attention over to Thalia and took her hand.

"I am sorry we argued," she said to her. "We could have been sisters." 

"It's my fault," Thalia said, blinking hard. "You were right about Luke, about heroes, men -- everything." 

"Perhaps not all men," Zoë murmured. She smiled weakly at Percy. "Do you still have the sword, Percy?"

Percy didn't speak, but he brought out Riptide and put the pen in her hand. She grasped it contentedly. "You spoke the truth, Percy Jackson. You are nothing like... like Hercules. I am honored that you carry this sword." A shudder ran through her body. 

"Zoë--" Percy began, but Zoë turned her attention back to the night sky. 

"Stars," she whispered. "I can see the stars again, my lady." 

A tear trickled down Artemis's cheek. "Yes, my brave one. They are beautiful tonight." 

"Stars," Zoë repeated. Her eyes fixed on the night sky. And she did not move again. 

Nia let out a strangled cry and Percy wrapped his arms around her. Thalia lowered her head. Annabeth gulped down a sob, and her father put his hands on her shoulders. 

Artemis cupped her hand above Zoë's mouth and spoke a few words in Ancient Greek. A silvery wisp of smoke exhaled from Zoë's lips and was caught in the hand of the goddess. Zoë's body shimmered and disappeared. Artemis stood, said a kind of blessing, breathed into her cupped hand, and released the silver dust to the sky. It flew up, sparkling, and vanished.

For a moment, Nia didn't look up from her hands covering her face. Then Annabeth gasped and Nia lifted her head. Looking up in the sky, she saw that the stars were brighter now. They made a pattern that Nia had never noticed before -- a gleaming constellation that looked a lot like a girl's figure -- a girl with a bow, running across the sky. 

Nia's face shone with tears, but at that moment, she smiled. It was so... so... Zoë.

"Let the world honor you, my Huntress," Artemis said. "Live forever in the stars."

IT WASN'T EASY SAYING THEIR GOODBYES. The thunder and lightning were still boiling over Mount Tamalpais in the north. Nia barely paid attention to anything. Zoë's death was still so fresh in her mind.

"I must go to Olympus immediately," Artemis suddenly said, rousing Nia's attention. "I will not be able to take you, but I will send help."

She cupped Nia's cheek with her hand. "I will see you very soon, my daughter. I swear."

Nia swallowed the dryness out of her mouth and nodded. "Alright, Mom."

Nodding, Artemis then set her hand on Annabeth's shoulder. "You are brave beyond measure, my girl. You will do what is right." 

Then the goddess looked quizzically at Thalia, as if she weren't sure what to make of this younger daughter of Zeus. Thalia seemed reluctant to look up, but something made her, and she held the goddess's eyes. Artemis's gaze softened with sympathy. Nia raised one eyebrow at them.

Finally, Nia's mother turned to Percy. "You did well," she told Percy with a look of grudging respect. "For a man."

She mounted her chariot, which began to glow. Everyone averted their eyes. There was a flash of silver, and Artemis was gone. 

"Well," Dr. Chase sighed. "Your mother was impressive, Nia; though I must say I still prefer Athena." 

Annabeth turned toward him. "Dad, I... I'm sorry that--" 

"Shh." He hugged her. "Do what you must, my dear. I know this isn't easy for you." His voice was a little shaky, but he gave Annabeth a brave smile. 

Then Nia suddenly heard the whoosh of large wings. Three pegasi descended through the fog: three white-winged horses and one pure black one.

Nia smiled slightly. So this was what her mother had meant by help.

As Percy had a quick conversation with the pegasi, the professor was staring open-mouthed at the pegasi. 

"Fascinating," Dr. Chase said. "Such maneuverability! How does the wingspan compensate for the weight of the horse's body, I wonder? Why, if the British had had these pegasi in the cavalry charges on the Crimea, the charge of the light brigade--" 

"Dad!" Annabeth interrupted. 

Dr. Chase blinked. He looked at his daughter and managed a smile. "I'm sorry, my dear, I know you must go." He gave her one last awkward, well-meaning hug. 

As she turned to climb aboard one of the white-winged pegasi, Dr. Chase called, "Annabeth. I know... I know San Francisco is a dangerous place for you. But please remember, you always have a home with us. We will keep you safe." 

Annabeth didn't answer, but her eyes were red as she turned away. 

Dr. Chase started to say more, then apparently thought better of it. He raised his hand in a sad farewell and trudged away across the dark field. 

Nia, Thalia, Annabeth, and Percy mounted their pegasi. Together, they soared over the bay and flew toward the eastern hills. Soon San Francisco was only a glittering crescent behind them, with an occasional flicker of lightning in the north.

IMMEDIATELY AFTER CLIMBING ON THE PEGASUS, Nia started snoring. Maybe it was her burnout after using her powers or seeing so much happen that day or her overall exhaustion or maybe even all three. Whatever the reason, it knocked Nia out long enough for her to get a bit of rest.

But, of course, that blissful nothingness could never last for long.

Nia slowly opened her eyes and felt a moment of panic until she remembered where she was.

"There it is," Thalia's voice suddenly said; she was pointing toward Manhattan, which was quickly zooming into view. "It's started." 

"What's started?" Nia asked groggily. Then she looked where her friend was pointing. High above the Empire State Building, Olympuswas its own island of light, a floating mountain ablaze with torches and braziers, white marble palaces gleaming in the early morning air. 

"The winter solstice," Thalia said. "The Council of the Gods."

They circled over midtown Manhattan, making one complete orbit around Mount Olympus. Nia had only been a handful of times because of year-round Camp Half-Blood field trips, traveling by elevator up to the secret six hundredth floor of the Empire State Building.

Olympus somehow managed to amaze Nia every time she went. In the early-morning darkness, torches and fires made the mountainside palaces glow twenty different colors, from bloodred to indigo. Apparently, no one ever slept on Olympus. 

The twisting streets were full of demigods and nature spirits and minor godlings bustling about, riding chariots or sedan chairs carried by Cyclopes. Winter didn't seem to exist here. Nia caught the scent of the gardens in full bloom, jasmine and roses and even sweeter things she couldn't name. Music drifted up from many windows, the soft sounds of lyres and reedpipes. 

Towering at the peak of the mountain was the greatest palace of all, the glowing white hall of the gods.

The pegasi set Nia and her friends down in the outer courtyard, in front of huge silver gates. Before anyone could even think to knock, the gates opened by themselves.

After another quick conversation that Percy had with the pegasi, the winged horses flew off, leaving Nia, Thalia, Annabeth, and Percy alone. For a minute all four of them stood there regarding the palace, the way they'd stood together along with Naomi in front of Westover Hall, what seemed like a million years ago. 

"Come on, guys," Nia said, trying to control her heartbeat. "Let's go see what all the fuss is about."

And then, side by side, they walked into the throne room.

so, um, hi again?

in all seriousness, i am so sorry that i haven't been communicating with y'all and that I just disappeared like that. what happened was that i went to summer camp for like three weeks and i didn't have a chance to warn you guys

which sucks for everyone because i absolutely love updating this

to make it up to you all, i am updating every day until this book is over ( because we're pretty much almost there )

are you excited? i really hope you all are

sorry again... ( hope updates make up for it )

talk soon!

-icedcoffeemug