YO! So I am gonna give yall some songs for this chapter bc its a fight. Just label it 'Moiraio/battles' bc its gonna be used for this chapter, the battle of Manhattan, and maybe Blood of Olympus! So <3

As the world caves in—Matt Maltese

Achilles come down— gang of youths

Goodbye—bo burnham

The other side of paradise—glass animals

How far we've come—matchbox twenty

Centuries—fall out boy (ik its OG but anyways)

Start a war— Klergy, Valerie Broussard

Run boy run—woodkid

Devil town—cavetown

Michele—Sir Chloe

I can't handle change— roar

As the world caves in —Sarah Cochran

Saint Bernard—Lincoln

Enemy—imagine dragons

Hayloft II—mother mother

Natural—imagine dragons

Icarus—bastille

Radioactive— imagine dragons

Burning pile—mother mother

—THAT'S IT, ENJOY THE CHAPTER N LMK IF U LIKE THE MUSIC! DON'T FORGET TO SAVE IT—

Distance was shorter in the Labyrinth. Still, by the time Rachel got us back to Times Square, I felt like we'd pretty much ran all the way from New Mexico. We climbed out of the Mariott basement and stood on the sidewalk in the bright summer daylight, squinting at the traffic and crowds.

I couldn't decide which seemed less real—New York or the crystal cave where I'd watched a god die.

Luckily, my clothes had changed back to my borrowed  T-shirt and shorts. My blue converse were tied just how I left them. The twin snakes had turned into some sort of bracelet. It was a black threaded that halfway through, turned to white, two gems laid on each end. The black side had a white tear shaped gem, that glowed like lightning. The white side had a black tear shaped gem too, but it was so dark I felt like I was staring into Chaos. The ends were easily adjustable, so I had no problem fitting it to my wrist.

Percy led the way into an alley, where we could get nice echos. Then we whistled as loud as we could, six times.

A minute later, Rachel gasped. "They're beautiful!"

A flock of pegasi descended from the sky, swooping between the skyscrapers. Blackjack and Ace were in the lead, followed by four of their white friends.

Yo, boss! Blackjack said. You lived!

No, really? Ace snickered.

"Yeah," Percy said. "We're lucky that way. Listen, we need a ride to camp quick."

That's our specialty! Ace started to nudge his face into my side.

Blackjack studied our group. Oh man, you got that Cyclops with you? Yo, Guido! How's your back holding up?

The pegasus Guido groaned and complained, but eventually he agreed to carry Tyson. Everybody started saddling up—except Rachel.

"Well," she said, "I guess this is it."

I nodded. We both knew she couldn't go to camp.

"Thanks, Rachel," I said. "We couldn't have done it without you."

"I wouldn't have missed it. I mean, except for almost dying, and Pan. . ." Her voice faltered.

"He said something about your father," Percy remembered. Blackjack nipped at Ace and forced me to move farther from the two. Guess I'm done with the conversation?

I led my pegasus over to Tyson, who was chatting happily with his. "Hey, little bro."

Tyson turned to me and grinned, "They are so much like Rainbow! Oh! When can I see him?"

"Soon," I said. "Once we get this whole thing at camp done, you can hang out."

"Yay!" He clapped his hands and I couldn't help but smile.

He smells like dead people! I heard a pegasus complain.

Hey now, Ace scolded. Come on, Porkpie. He isn't bad, just a son of Hades. Lady Jackson has powers a lot like him!

"Go without me!" Nico said. "I don't want to go back to that camp anyway."

"Nico," I said. "We need your help. Plus, pegasi are always judgy."

I will toss you off. 

"Oh, boo-hoo." I flicked Ace's side. 

Nico folded his arms and scowled. I put my hand on his shoulder, "Please, Nico."

Slowly, his expression softened. "All right," he said reluctantly. "For you. But I'm not staying."

At last we got everybody on a pegasus. We shot into the air, and soon we were flying.

Lady, do you need some rest? Lookin' pretty tired there.

I nodded. A little.

You can sleep on me.

Thanks, Ace.

I put in my headphones and closed my eyes, leaning against Ace's neck.

Baby, though I've closed my eyes

I know who you pretend I am (hang on)

I know who you pretend I am

But do, mi, ti

Why not me?

Why not me?

————————☁︎ ✯  ☾ ✯ ☁︎————————

We landed in the middle of the cabin area and were immediately met by Chiron, the potbellied satyr Silenus, and a couple of Apollo cabin archers. Lee wasn't among them. Chiron raised an eyebrow when he saw Nico, but if I expected him to be surprised about our latest news about Quintus being Daedalus, or Kronos rising, I was mistaken.

I took out my headphones and my iPod disappeared from my pocket.

"I feared as much," Chiron said. "We must hurry. Hopefully you have slowed down the Titan lord, but his vanguard will still be coming through. They will be anxious for blood. Most of our defenders are already in place. Come!"

"Wait a moment," Silenus demanded. "What of the search for Pan? You are almost three weeks overdue, Grover Underwood! Your searcher's license is revoked!"

Grover took a deep breath. He stood up straight and looked Silenus in the eye. "Searcher's licenses don't matter anymore. The great god Pan is dead. He has passed on and left us his spirit.

"What?" Silenus's face burned bright red. "Sacrilege and lies! Grover Underwood, I will have you exiled for speaking thus!"

"It's true," I said. "We were there when he died. All of us."

"Impossible! You are all liars! Nature-destroyers!"

Chiron studied Grover's face. "We will speak of this later."

"We will speak of it now!" Silenus said. "We must deal with this—"

"Silenus," Chiron cut in. "My camp is under attack. The matter of Pan has waited two thousand years. I fear it will have to wait a bit longer. Assuming we are still here this evening."

And on that happy note, he readied his bow and galloped toward the woods, leaving us to follow as best we could.

————————☁︎ ✯  ☾ ✯ ☁︎————————

It was the biggest military operation I'd ever seen at camp. Everyone was at the clearing, dressed in full battle armor, but this time it wasn't for capture the flag. The Hephaestus cabin had set up traps around the entrance to the Labyrinth—razor wire, pits filled with pots of Greek fire, rows of sharpened sticks to deflect a charge. Beckendorf was manning two catapults the size of pickup trucks, already primed and aimed at Zeus's Fist. The Ares cabin was on the front line, drilling in phalanx formation with Clarisse calling orders. Apollo's and Hermes's cabins were scattered in the woods with bows ready. Many had talked up positions in the trees. Even the dryads were armed with bows, and the satyrs trotted around with wooden cudgels and shields made of rough tree bark.

Annabeth went to join her siblings from the Athena cabin, who had set up a comment tent and were directing operations. A gray banner with an owl fluttered outside the tent. Our security chief, Argus, stood guard at the door. Aphrodite's children were running around straightening everybody's armor and talking strategy for destruction. There were bottled of 'perfume' strapped around them, and I was later told that is was acid. The Dionysus's kids were ready as well, preparing nets of grapevines. He had two sets of twins that worked together, Castor and Pollux, and Tony and Teqi. The latter sent me a knowing smile before turning back to her twin.

Beckendorf waved at me, meaning for me to go to him. "Hey, Mini Me."

"Hi." He wrapped me in a hug, but I wasn't ready for the next words out of his mouth.

"Listen, I know we were planning on adding wings to Festus, but I didn't have time to install them with battle prep. I let him out of Bunker Nine, he's patrolling the Big House, where the youngest that can't fight yet are." Charles whispered into my ear.

I nodded. "Smart. We can do wings later."

"Be safe, Mini Me!" He called.

"You too, Big Me!" I jogged over to the medical tent set up farther from the battle field. I was frantically looking around, when he bumped into me.

"Kiera?" Lee asked in astonishment.

I wrapped my arms around him and buried my face in his neck. "Oh gods."

As soon as we separated, he pressed his lips against mine, and if I wasn't so nervous, I probably would've fainted.

"I'm glad your safe." He said, looking me over.

I held onto his hands, "Lee. . ."

His eyes met mine, worry lacing through them. "What?"

"I'm scared," I mumbled, my eyes watering. "I can't lose anyone. What if I lose Percy? Tyson? Nico? Beckendorf? Teqi? I can't lose anyone, Lee. I just can't."

Lee cupped my face with both his hands, "You won't Kiera."

I nodded and wiped the tears that threatened to spill down my face. I couldn't be weak. Everyone was depending on me to lead. To be strong. If I cried they'd think I was weak. Childish.

"Hey," he said. "After this, we will meet up at the beach for that date. 'Kay?"

I smiled at the thought of us relaxing together. "Deal."

Suddenly, he smiled, and gripped my shoulders. "Oh! I almost forgot. After the battle, there's a box in your cabin. A gift from me."

"A gift? I don't need anything, Lee." I snorted.

He bent down and lifted up my armor from my cabin stand, "Except this, duh."

I let him strap on all of my stuff, my arm guards, breastplate, everything. As he finished up the last strap near my neck he kissed my temple. "Let's get that hair up, eh?"

He led me over to a mirror, where I sat staring at myself as he braided my hair into a crown so it was out of the way. It was soothing.

There it is again,

That funny feeling.

That funny feeling. . .

The lyrics of so many songs we listened to played through my mind as his fingers twisted and pinned up my dark hair. I had zoned out half-way through, so I didn't notice when he had braided my hair to a set of silver laurels.

"You look beautiful," he whispered as he looked at me through the mirror. Lee kissed my forehead again, before putting his face in the crook of my neck.

I turned to him and smiled softly, enjoying our silence.

When Lee moved out of my neck, a smile fell onto his lips. He kissed me one more time before he got up and lent me a hand. I took it and he pulled me up. I hadn't noticed it earlier, but Lee was wearing amor. 

I furrowed my eyebrows. "They're putting you on the field?"

He nodded sadly, "Yep."

"That isn't right, Lee." Worry overtook me and the bad feeling in my stomach only got worse. "You can fight but you're better at healing and archery. They need you in here."

Lee shook his head. "There's plenty of medics in my cabin. There's twenty Apollo kids. Seven of them are medics. There's enough here."

I hugged him again. "Be safe."

"Yes ma'am." He smiled before we separated. "I promise!"

I walked out of the cabin and sat Tyson helping the Hephaestus kids prepare the defenses. He picked up boulders and piled them next to the catapults for firing.

Chiron beckoned me over. "Kiera. You and Percy will stay with me until the fighting begins. I want you to wait until we know what we're dealing with. You must go where we most need reinforcements. For now, Kiera, go help the Apollo kids with arrows. I would send you to the Athena tent for planning, but Percy told me about your situation with Annabeth. They can handle it."

I nodded but pulled Percy a little away from Chiron. 

He looked at me, his eyes watering. "Kiera. . ."

I pulled him into a hug and he wrapped his arms around me tightly.

"I'm so scared." He whispered into my hair.

I kissed Percy's forehead and separated from our hug. "I know, Perc. I know," I tried for a laugh, but it just didn't sound alive, "Just, do this one thing for me. Okay?"

He nodded. 

"Please. Don't let them get you. How would I tell mom if you. . .if you." I stopped because my voice broke and tears welled in my eyes again. Percy shed a tear but I wiped it away. "Just stay safe. Okay?"

We hugged again, and I couldn't help but think about if something went wrong and I lost him. I decided I wouldn't let that happen. I couldn't lose anyone. It was my job to keep them all safe and with me. When we pulled apart, I brushed the hair out of his face and planted a kiss in between his eyebrows and stayed there for a minute. Before we separated I tossed Percy's armor at his feet.

"Don't be stupid." I said. "Promise me."

"I promise."

I walked off and found Kayla. She stood polishing her sword. I brought her to me. "Kayla, can you do me a favor?"

She looked up, "yep."

"If Lee is in danger, protect him over me." I said. "I'm going to be going around and I'll probably be around you guys."

Kayla hesitated before nodding. "Okay."

We separated and I walked to an open area, where I could see the battle well. I was able to see every camper. Two images flashed into my minds, the first was of a battlefield, but instead of wearing modern clothes, I wore the same dress I had earlier, but armor was strapped over it and every other fighter there was a man. The second was a different army. A French flag waved at my side, and I wore chainmail under my armor. I knew the memories were Jade and Joan's, before they went to battle.

The ground underneath us was trembling.

Everyone in the clearing stopped what they were doing.

Clarisse barked a single order: "Lock shields!"

Then the Titan lord's army exploded from the Labyrinth.

————————☁︎ ✯  ☾ ✯ ☁︎————————

I mean I'd been in fights before, but this was a full-scale battle. The first thing I saw were a dozen Laistrygonian giants erupting from the ground, yelling so loudly my ears felt like bursting. They carried shields made from flattened cars, and clubs that were tree trunks with rusty spikes bristling at the end. One of the giant's bellowed at the Ares phalanx, smashed it sideways with his club and the entire cabin was thrown aside. A dozen warriors tossed to the side like rag dolls.

"Fire!" Beckendorf yelled. The catapults swung into action. Two boulders hurtled toward the giants. One deflected off a car shield with hardly a dent, but the other caught a Laistrygonian in the chest, and the giant went down. Apollo's archers fired a volley, dozens of arrows sticking in the thick armor of the giants like porcupine quills. Several found chinks in the armor, and some of the giants vaporized at the touch of celestial bronze.

But just when it looked like the Laistrygonians were about to get overwhelmed, the next wave surged out of the maze: thirty, maybe forty dracenae in full battle armor, wielding spears and nets. They dispersed in all directions. Some hit the traps the Hephaestus cabin had laid. One got stuck on the spikes and became an easy target for archers. Another triggered a trip wire, engulfing several of the snake women. But many more kept coming. Argus and Athena's warriors rushed forward to meet them. I saw Annabeth draw a sword and engage one of them. Nearby, Tyson was riding a giant. Somehow he'd managed to climb onto the back and was hitting him on the head with a bronze shield—BONG! BONG! BONG!

Chiron calmly aimed arrow after arrow, taking down a monster with every shot. But more enemies just kept climbing out of the maze. Finally a hellhound—not Mrs. O'Leary—leaped out of the tunnel and barreled straight toward the satyrs.

"GO!" Chiron yelled to Percy and I.

He drew Riptide.

I tore off Nightfall and charged.

As I raced across the battlefield, I saw horrible things. An enemy half-blood was fighting with a son of Dionysus, but it wasn't much of a contest. The enemy stabbed him in the arm and then clubbed him with the butt of his sword, and Dionysus's son went down. Another enemy warrior shot flaming arrows into the trees, sending our archer and dryads into a panic.

A dozen dracaenae  suddenly broke away from the main fight and slithered down the path that led toward camp. I knew they were going to go to the Golden Fleece. If they got it, the barriers would fall. We wouldn't survive. The spy must have also told them where the youngest campers were.

I stopped mid run and stabbed my sword into the floor, and cracks lined around them, making a barrier between the monsters and the rest of camp. I shouted and a geyser of steaming water blew over them, turning most of them into nothing. I knew it wasn't regular water, but I wasn't aware of what it was.

The few who weren't sizzled kept going.

"Nico!" I shouted.

He turned from just stabbing a telkhine. He looked where I was pointing, and immediately understood. Nico said something as he held out his black sword. The earth trembled. A fissure opened in front of the monsters, and a dozen undead warriors crawled from the earth—horrible corpses in military uniforms from all different time periods—U.S. Revolutionaries, Roman centurions, Napoleonic cavalry on skeletal horses.

I turned and ran back to the hellhound. It was on leaping to my brother. My heart raced as I picked up a jar of Greek fire, and tossed it to the hellhound. "Heads up!" I shouted.

THe monster went into flames, and Percy scrambled away, breathing heavily.

The satyr who'd gotten trampled wasn't moving. I rushed over to check on him, but Grover called us. A forest fire had started. Flames roared within ten feet of Junipers tree, and Juniper and Grover were going nuts trying to save it. We ran towards them, jumping past duels, weaving between the legs of giants. The nearest water was the creek, half a mile away. . .but I had somehow summoned a geyser near the dracaenae. Percy gripped my hand and I felt a pull in my gut, a roar in my ears. Then a wall of water came rushing through the trees. It doused the fire, Juniper, Grover, and pretty much everything else.

Grover blew a spout of water. "Thanks guys!"

"No problem!" Percy said.

We separate and hurried back into the battle. I raised my hands and felt my powers reach into the blood streams of the demigods, I picked out the enemies and was able to feel their godly parentage. It was like a giant sign. I quickly pulled my right hand back and thrust my left hand to the sky. Screams rang out as demigods's bones snapped at my will. I knew I broke something in their lower body, but I couldn't tell what since there were so many of them.

My eyes were closed as I kept fighting through them. The ones who weren't paralyzed or on the ground with bones sticking out were still dangerous. I connected to each and every single one, the adrenaline spreading through me helped to reach out. I pulled a different way and felt the crack. 

Eventually, I was able to feel when there were no longer any functioning enemy demigods that could fight. They were injured and easily killed by the campers.

I saw two giants heading towards the infirmary and I stomped my foot down. Another geyser of water erupted, blowing sky high. As it fell down, I brought my hands down fast, a strong pull in my stomach told me the water froze and became