THE SENATE HOUSE INTERIOR LOOKED LIKE A high school lecture hall. a semicircle of tiered seats faced a dais with a podium and two chairs. the chairs were empty, but one had a small velvet package on the seat.

percy, hazel, and frank sat on the left side of the semi-circle, while karina went up to the podium alongside reyna. karina hated senate meetings, and always hoped that one day reyna would hurt let her sit one out, but nope! the ten senators and nico diangelo occupied the rest of the front row. the upper rows were filled with a several dozen ghosts and a few older veterans from the city, all in formal togas. octavian stood in the front with a knife and a beanie baby lion, just in case anyone needed to consult the god of cutesy collectibles. reyna walked to the podium, dragging karina along, and raised her hand for attention.

"right, this is an emergency meeting," she said. "we won't stand on formalities."

"i love formalities!" a ghost complained.

"yeah, well, no one else does!" karina shot back, and reyna pinched her arm, giving her a side-eye.

"first of all," she said. "we're not here to vote on the quest itself. the quest has been issued by mars ultor, the patron of rome. we will obey his wishes. nor are we here to debate the choice of frank zhang's companions."

"all three from the fifth cohort, and a praetor?" called out hank from the third. "that's not fair."

"and not smart," said the boy next to him. "we know the fifth will mess up. they should take somebody else."

karina narrowed her eyes at the boy. "oh, and you think you can do much better? who's the one who got their asses handed to them last night?"

"yeah!" shouted dakota, getting you so fast he spilled kool-aid from his flask. "we were plenty good last night when we whipped your podex, larry!"

"enough, dakota, karina," reyna said. "let's leave larry's podex out of this. as quest leader, frank has the right to choose his companions. he has chosen percy jackson, hazel levesque, and one of our praetors, karina ashwood."

a ghost from the second row yelled, "absurdus! frank zhang isn't even a full member of the legion! he's on probatio. a quest must be held by someone of centurion rank or higher, like maybe karina. this is completely-"

"cato," reyna snapped. "we must obey the wishes of mars ultor. that means certain. . .adjustments."

reyna clapped her hands and octavian came forward. he set down the knife and beanie baby and took the velvet package from the chair. karina was secretly thinking of ideas on how to steal that beanie baby from octavian without him noticing. she needed to save that stuffed lion.

"frank zhang," he said. "come forward."

karina saw frank glance nervously at percy, but then got to his feet and approached the augur.

"it is my. . .pleasure," octavian said, forcing out the last word, making karina pinch his back, to which he jumped at, giving her a glare before continuing, "to bestow upon you the mural crown for being first i've the walls in siege warfare." octavian handed him a bronze badge shaped like a laurel wreath. "also, by order of praetor reyna and praetor karina, to promote you to the rank of centurion."

frank looked at karina in utter shock, but she just gave him a smile. octavian handed frank another badge, a bronze crescent, and the senate exploded in protest.

karina groaned into the hands. "oh my gods, not again."

"he's still a probie!" one yelled.

"impossible!" said another.

"water cannon up my nose!" yelled a third.

"silence!" octavian's voice sounded a lot more commanding than it had the previous night on the battlefield. "our praetor's recognize that no one below the rank of centurion may lead a quest. for good or ill, frank must lead this quest-so our praetors have decreed that frank zhang must be made centurion."

karina knew exactly what octavian was doing, and why. she understood what an effective speaker octavian was. he sounded reasonable and supportive, but his expression was pained. he carefully crafted his words to put all the responsibility on her and reyna. this was their idea, he seemed to say.

if it went wrong, it was her and reyna to blame. if only octavian had been the one in charge, things would have been more sensibly. but alas, he had no choice but to support karina and reyna, because octavian was a loyal roman soldier.

octavian managed to convey all that without saying it, simultaneously calming the senate and sympathizing with them.

karina knew reyna had recognized this as well, because a look of irritation flashed across her face, mirroring karina. "there is an opening for centurion." reyna said. "one of our officers, also a senator, as decided to step down. after ten years in the legion, she will retire to the city and attend college. gwen of the fifth cohort, we thank you for your service."

everyone turned to gwen, who managed a brave smile. she looked tired from the previous night's ordeal, but also relieved. karina didn't blame her. compared to getting skewered with a pilum, college sounds pretty good.

"as praetors," reyna continued. "karina and i have the right to replace officers. i admit it's unusual for a camper on probatio to rise directly to the rank of centurion, but i think we can agree. . .last night was unusual. frank zhang, your ID please."

frank removed the lead tablet from around his neck and handed it to octavian.

"your arm," octavian said.

frank held up his forearm. octavian raised his hands to the heavens. "we accept frank zhang, son of mars, to the twelfth legion fulminata for his first year of service. do you pledge your life to the senate and the people of rome?"

frank muttered something like "ud-did." then he cleared his throat and managed: "i do."

the senate shouted, "senatus populusque romanus!"

fire blazed on frank's arm. for a moment his eyes filled with terror, and karina was afraid her friend might pass out, like she almost did when she gots her's. mind you she was ten when that happened, and frank was fifteen, but still, pain is pain. then the smoke and flame died, and new marks were seared into frank's skin: SPQR, an image of crossed spears, and a single stripe, representing the first year of service.

"you may sit down." octavian glanced at the audience as if to say: this wasn't my idea, folks.

"now," reyna said, "we must discuss this quest."

the senators shifted and muttered as frank returned to his seat.

"if you have a plan for the quest. do you even know where your going?" octavian asked frank, but frank wasn't even paying attention, too focused on hazel who was pinning his medals to his shirt.

karina looked to percy, who was looking at her with a knowing smirk, darting his eyes between the two friends next to him. karina let out a small chuckle and nodded her head, knowing exactly what he was implying.

"centurion zhang," called octavian. "did you hear the question?"

frank blinked. "um. . .sorry. what?"

octavian turned to the senate and smirked, like what did i tell you? karina scowled at him.

"i was saying," octavian said like he was talking to a three-year-old, "if you have a plan for the quest. do you even know where you are going?"

"um. . ."

hazel put her hand on frank's shoulder and stood. "weren't you listening last night, octavian? mars was pretty clear. we're going to the land beyond the gods-alaska." karina gave a proud look in hazel's direction, glad that someone put octavian in his place.

the senators squirmed in their togas. some of the ghosts shimmered and disappeared. even reyna's metal dogs rolled over on their backs and whimpered.

finally senator larry stood. "i know what mars said, but that's crazy. alaska is cursed! they call it the land beyond the gods for a reason. it's so far north, the roman gods have no power there. the place is swarming with monsters. no demigod has come back from there alive since-"

"since you lost your eagle," percy said.

larry was so startled, he fell back on his podex, making karina snort into the back of her hand.

"look," percy continued, a small amuses smile gracing his lips after seeing karina's reaction, "i know i'm new here. i know you guys don't like to mention that massacre in the nineteen-eighties-"

"he mentioned it!" one of the ghosts whimpered.

"-but don't you get it?" percy continued. "the fifth cohort led that expedition. we failed, and we have to be responsible for making things right. that's why mars is sending us. the giant, the son of gaea-he's the one who defeated your forces thirty years ago. i'm sure of it. now he's sitting up there in alaska with a chained death god, and all your old equipment. he's mustering his armies and sending them south to attack this camp."

"really?" octavian said. "you seem to know a lot about our enemy's plans, percy jackson."

karina clenched her jaw at the accusation octavian was throwing at percy. he was calling him a spy-a traitor. karina and percy both looked ready to smack that boy to tartarus, but then it seemed to dawn on both of them of what he was doing. they both looked to each other, both of them thinking the same thing: octavian was baiting him, trying to make him look unstable.

percy tore his gaze away from karina and took a deep breath. "we're going to confront this son of gaea," he said, "we'll get back your eagle and unchain this god. . ." he glanced at hazel. "thanatos, right?"

she nodded. "letus, in roman. but his old greek name is thanatos. when it comes to death. . .we're happy to let him stay greek."

octavian sighed in exasperation. "well, whatever you call him. . .how do you expect to do all this and get back by the feast of fortuna? that's the evening of the twenty-fourth. it's the twentieth now. do you even know where to look? do you even know who the son of gaea is?"

"alaska can't be that big." karina muttered to herself, kicking the top of her shoe against the hard floor.

"yes." hazel spoke with such certainty that even karina was surprised. "i don't know exactly where to look, but i have a pretty good idea. the giant's name is alcyoneus."

that name seemed to lower the temperature in the room by fifty degrees. the senators shivered.

reyna gripped her podium, and karina stirred uneasily, not liking the sound of that name.

"how do you know this, hazel?" reyna questioned. "because you're a child of pluto?"

nico diangelo had been so quiet, karina had almost forgotten he was there. now he stood in his black toga.

"praetors, if i may," he said. "hazel and i. . .we learned a little about giants from our father. each giant was bred specifically to oppose one of the twelve olympian gods-to usurp that god's domain. the king of giants was porphyrion, the anti-jupiter. but the eldest giant was alcyoneus. he was born to oppose pluto. that's why we know of him in particular."

reyna frowned. "indeed? you sound quite familiar with him."

nico picked at the edge of his toga. "anyway. . .the giants were hard to kill. according to prophecy, they could only be defeated by gods and demigods working together."

dakota belched. "sorry, did you say and demigods. . .like fighting side by side? that could never happen!"

"it has happened," nico said. "in the first giant war, the gods called on heroes to join them, and they were victorious. whether it could happen again, i don't know. but with alcyoneus. . .he was different. he was completely immortal, impossible to kill by god or demigod, as long as he remained in his home territory-the place where he was born."

nico pauses to let that sink in. "and if alcyoneus has been reborn in alaska-"

"then he can't be defeated there," hazel finished. "ever."

karina felt a shiver go down her spine as hazel spoke, and felt even more terrified than ever for this quest.

another round of arguing and shouting broke out.

"the quest is impossible!" shouted a senator.

"we're doomed!" cried a ghost.

"more kool-aid!" yelled dakota.

"silence!" reyna called. "senators. we must act like romans. mars as given us this quest, and we have to believe it is possible. these four demigods must travel to alaska. they must free thanatos and return before the feast of fortuna. if they can retrieve the lost eagle in the process, so much the better. all we can do is advise them and make sure they have a plan."

reyna looked at percy without much hope. "you do have a plan?"

percy looked to karina with desperate eyes, not knowing what to say, and karina just looked at him in helplessness. she didn't have a plan either, she had no idea how they were going to pull this off, what was she supposed to say?

"first, i need to understand something," percy said, turning toward nico. "i thought pluto was the god of the dead. now i hear about this other guy, thanatos, and the doors of death from that prophecy-the prophecy of eight. what does that all mean?"

nico took a deep breath. "okay. pluto is the god of the underworld, but the actual god of death, the one who's responsible for making sure souls go to the afterlife and stay there-that's pluto's lieutenant, thanatos. he's like. . .well imagine life and death are two different countries. everybody would like to be in life, right? so there's a guarded border to keep people from crossing back over without permission. but it's a big border. with lots of holes in the fence. pluto tries to seal up the breaches, but new ones keep popping up all the time. that's why he depends on thanatos, whose like the border patrol, the police."

"well damn, that's all i need to know now." karina said, impressed at nico's explanation. he shot her a small smirk and then turned back to percy.

"thanatos catches souls," percy said, "and deports them back to the underworld."

"exactly," nico said. "but now thanatos has been captured, chained up."

frank raised his hand. "uh. . . how do you chain death?"

"with chains." karina said in a 'duh' tone. reyna pushed back a small laugh, and percy shot her an amused face, his eyes shining when he looked at her.

"it's been done before," nico said. "in the old days, a guy named sisyphus tricked death and tied him up. another time, hercules wrestled him to the ground."

"and now a giant had captured him," percy said. "so if we could free thanatos, then the dead would stay dead?" he glanced at gwen. "um. . . no offense."

"it's more complicated than that," nico said.

octavian rolled his eyes "why does that not surprise me?"

"when are you not surprised, octopus?" karina asked, tired of octavian's comments. he just gave her a heated glare, and turned away, crossing his arms.

"you mean the doors of death," reyna said, ignoring octavian. "they are mentioned in the prophecy of eight, which sent the first expedition to alaska-"

cato the ghost snorted. "we all know how that turned out! we lares remember!"

the other ghosts grumbled in agreement.

nico put his finger to his lips. suddenly all the lares went silent. some looked alarmed, like their mouths had been glued together. karina subtly reached over to high-five nico, to which he returned, a small smiled on his face.

"thanatos is only part of the solution," nico explained.

"the doors of death. . . well, that's a concept even i don't completely understand. there are many ways into the underworld-the river styx, the doors of orpheus-plus smaller escape routes that open up from time to time. with thanatos imprisoned, all those exits will be easier to use. sometimes it might work to our advantage and let a friendly soul come back-like gwen here. more often, it will benefit evil souls and monsters, the sneaky ones who are looking to escape. now, the doors of death-those are the personal doors of thanatos, his fast lane between life and death. only thanatos is supposed to know where they are, and the location shifts over the ages. if i understand correctly, the doors of death have been forced open. gaea's minions have seized control of them-"

"which means gaea controls who can back form the dead," percy guessed.

nico nodded. "she can pick and choose who to let out-the worst monsters, the most evil souls. if we rescue thanatos, that means at least he can catch souls again and send them below. monsters will die when we kill them, like they used to, and we'll get a little breathing room. but unless we're able to retake the doors of death, our enemies won't stay down for long. they'll have an easy way back to the world of the living."

"so we can catch them and deport them," percy summed up, "but they'll just keep coming back across."

"in a depressing nutshell, yes," nico said.

"great, more problems that we have to deal with." karina grumbled, and percy sent her a small, reassuring smile, which made her feel a little better, as it usually did.

frank scratched his head. "but thanatos knows where the doors are, right? if we free him, he can retake them."

"i don't think so," nico said. "not alone. he's no match for gaea. that would take a massive quest. . . an army of the best demigods."

"foes bear arms to the doors of death," reyna said. "that's the prophecy of eight. . ." she looked at percy, and for just a moment karina could see how scared she was. she did a good job of hiding it, but karina knew that she had nightmare about gaea too-sometimes joining karina in the early morning to watch the sunrise, unable to sleep from them. reyna was different when she was by herself, raw and rid of her praetorship. that was the reyna that karina related most to, and loved most. "if this begins the ancient prophecy, we don't have resources to send an army to these doors of death and protect the camp. i cant imagine even sparing eight demigods-"

"first things first." percy said, trying to sound confident, but karina could feel the level of panic rising in the room. "i don't know who the eight are, or what that old prophecy means, exactly. but first we have to free thanatos. mars told us we only needed four people for the quest to alaska. let's concentrate on succeeding with that and getting back before the feast of fortuna. then we can worry about the doors of death."

"yeah," frank said in a small voice. "that's probably enough for one week."

"so you do have a plan?" octavian asked skeptically.

percy looked at his teammates. "we go to alaska as fast as possible. . ."

"and we improvise." hazel said.

"a lot," karina added.

reyna studied them. she looked like she was mentally writing her own obituary.

"very well," she said. "nothing remains except for us to vote what support we can give the quest-transportation, money, magic, weapons."

"praetor reyna, if i may," octavian said.

"oh, great," percy muttered. "here it comes."

"yep," karina said. "cover your ears while you can."

"the camp is in grave danger," octavian said. "two gods have warned us we will be attacked four days from now. we must not spread our resources too thin, especially by funding projects that have a slim chance of success."

octavian looked at the four of them with pity, as if to say, poor little things. "mars has clearly chosen the least likely candidates for this quest. perhaps that is because he considers them the most expendable. perhaps mars is playing the long odds. whatever the case, he wisely didn't order a massive expedition, nor did he ask us to fund their adventure. i say we keep our resources here and defend the camp. this is where the battle will be lost of won. if these four succeed, wonderful! but they should do so by their own dignity."

karina was about to put octavian in a chokehold if he didn't stop talking. "oh, the least likely candidates?" she scoffed. "has your godly descendant ever tried to contact you? or maybe just send you a thumbs up in your dreams? hm, didn't think so. i hate the break it to you octavian, but you're not that special. just because you slice open stuffed animals and predict the future, it doesn't mean you are relevant to everyone here. so, please, stop saying your opinion on every tiny matter there ever is. i think we'd all have less headaches if you did." she smiled, a pure innocent smile at octavian, who's face looked like it was about to turn purple.

he started to make his way over to karina, his fists clenched at his sides, but then he paused, seeming to remember he was in front of i large crowd, and reluctantly stepped back, but never took his eyes off her karina, fire blazing in his eyes.

if karina had turned around, she would've seen the looks of impressment and pride everyone was giving her, especially percy. in that moment he thought she looked stunning in every way possible. the way she spoke with such confidence standing up to octavian, the way her ponytail bristled back and forth as she told him off, and the way she just stood there in such grace and beauty, left percy completely starstruck. he hadn't taken his eyes off of her the entire time, not until frank bumped his shoulder, giving him a smirk and a knowing look.

percy just shook his head and snapped out of his dazed mindset. "fine! no problem. but at least give us transportation. gaea is the earth goddess, right? going overland, across the earth-i'm guessing we should avoid that. plus, it'll be too slow."

karina let out a small sound of fear, not liking the idea of not being on land where she feels the safest.

octavian laughed. "would you like us to charter you an airplane?"

the idea made karina nauseous, and it looked like percy felt that same. "no. air travel. . . i have a feeling that would be bad, too. but a boat. can you at least give us a boat?"

hazel made a grunting sound. karina and percy glanced over. she shook her head and mouthed, fine. i'm fine.

"a boat!" octavian turned to the senators. "the son of neptune wants a boat. sea travel had never been the roman way, but he isn't much of a roman!"

"octavian," reyna said sternly, "a boat is little enough to ask. and providing no other aid seems very-"

"traditional!" octavian exclaimed. "it is very traditional. let us see if these quarters have the strength without help, like true romans!"

more murmuring filled the chamber. the senators' eyes moved back and forth between octavian and reyna, watching with the test of wills.

reyna straightened in her chair. "very well," she said tightly. "we'll put it to a vote. senators, the motion is as follows: the quest shall go west to alaska. the senate shall provide full access to the roman navy docked at alameda. no other aid will be forthcoming. the four adventurers will survive or fail on their own merits. all in favor?"

every senator's hand went up.

"the motion is passed." reyna turned to frank. "centurion, your party is excused. the senate has other matters to discuss. and, octavian, if a may confer with you for a moment."

karina gasped and turned to reyna. "wait, so that means i can leave?"

reyna rolled her eyes. "yes, nina, you are excused."

"yes! thank the gods, and thank u, rey!" she said excitedly. reyna managed to give her a small smile before turning away.

karina was incredibly glad to see sunlight. in that dark hall, with all those eyes on her, she'd always felt like the world was riding on her shoulders.

karina turned to percy with a sarcastic smile plastered on her face. "well, percy. i'm glad you enjoyed your first senate meeting. i told you they were fun!"

percy scoffed, looking at her with teasing eyes. "yeah, the only fun i had was watching you tell octavian off. it was totally badass."

and totally hot, percy though, but refrained from saying.

karina blushed and chuckled. "he deserved it. i was about to choke him with a plant vine if he didn't shut up."

percy laughed and turned to hazel, who picked up a large emerald from the path and slipped it in her pocket. "so. . . we're pretty much toast?"

frank nodded miserably. "if any of you three want to back out, i wouldn't blame you."

"oh, i definitely want to, but i'm not going to." karina said, looking at frank with a black face.

"are you kidding?" hazel said. "and pull sentry duty for the rest of the week?"

frank managed a smile. he turned to percy.

"i'm with you," he told frank. "besides, i want to check out the roman navy."

they were only halfway across the forum when some called, "jackson!" percy turned and saw octavian jogging toward them.

karina groaned loudly and tilted her head back, her headache growing already.

"what do you want?" percy asked.

octavian smiled. "already decided i'm your enemy? that's a rash choice, percy. i'm a loyal roman."

frank snarled. "you backstabbing, slimy-" all three of them had to restrain him.

"oh, dear," octavian said. "hardly the right behavior for a new centurion. jackson, i only followed you because reyna charged me with a message. she wants you to report to the principia with karina, not including your-ah-two lackeys, here. reyna will meet you there after the senate adjourns. she'd like a private word with you before you leave on your quest."

"what about?" percy said.

"i'm sure i don't know." octavian smiled wickedly. "the last person she had a private talk with was jason grace. and that was the last time i ever saw him. good luck and goodbye, percy jackson."

4432 words

sort of a boring chapter , but once they finally go on the quest i promise you'll get much more percina content✨