We ran faster than any of us had run before, and Kronos blasted at us with the accuracy of a cross-eyed horsefly. Some of his blasts looked a mile off. Others were so close we'd be thrown to the ground.

One time, Travis dropped one of his two swords when he fell. Instead of getting up and running, he went back for the sword.

"Travis what the Hades do you think you're doing?!" I screamed while I ran.

Travis ignored me and dove for his sword. Another blast of energy hit, and I lost sight of Travis. For a scary second, I thought he was dead. But then he leaped out of the smoke and caught up with us. We were getting close to the bay again. If we could just make it, I could form an air bubble and we could head safely back to Typhon's Prison.

Unfortunately, Kronos caught up with us and with one sweep of the scythe tripped us all. We were mere feet from the bay.

"Dad, can you form an air bubble?" I asked.

"I think so," he replied unsure.

I waved my hand, and a wave swept up Tyson, Travis, and Poseidon into the bay. I really hope my dad could pull off the air bubble thing. I turned back and kicked Kronos in the face. He stumbled back in surprise, giving me time to roll away and draw my sword. He studied me carefully, as if waiting for something else. I didn't give it to him...yet.

I grip my sword with both hands, reading for round two. Finally, he buys my ruse and our weapons clash together. Our movements accelerated to a blinding speed, sparks flying as our weapons clashed again and again.

I was the first to get fancy. A quick fire blast forced him back and gave me more room. I followed up with two flash bangs to the face. While his vision and hearing returned, I slashed a cut on his arm. He retaliated by slamming my jaw with the butt end of his scythe and then cutting a gash in my leg.

I jumped back and healed it as best as I could before blocking his next strike. On my command, vines wrapped around Kronos's ankles and yanked him off his feet. I tried to drive him insane with Dionysus's powers, but all I really did was give him a headache and make him madder than ever. He kicked me in the stomach and then slashed at my neck. I managed to dodge and took the blow at my ribs instead.

I yanked the scythe from his hands and stabbed my sword clean through his body. When his body went slack, I ripped my sword out and kicked him away. He grabbed his scythe as he rolled.

I summoned five dead spirits to cover my retreat. Kronos cut them all down in one swipe. He slammed hi own weapon to the ground, forming a crack in the Earth and from it came ten monsters. I hacked my way through them, and I actually laughed when I was done.

Our blades met again, and he slowly drove me away from the bay. His back was to the water. I stabbed, cutting a nice gash in his throat. Ichor gushed out from the wound, and some of it got in my eyes and blinded me. I wiped it away and waved my hand. A wave shot out, knocking Kronos forward into my waiting sword.

Sadly, he had his own weapon raised, and I felt something stab through my torso. We pulled apart, silver blood pouring from my wounds and gold blood pouring from his. My own wounds sealed themselves rapidly, while his continued to leak, although more slowly now.

We circled each other, willing the other to attack. Neither one of us moved. I leapt back and fired a volley of fiery arrows. Kronos blocked them with the flat of his scythe and advanced. I blocked and parried his every strike, but he did the same to me. Finally, he slow time around me and took a swing at my unguarded self.

I commanded a huge tree to grow up underneath him, and he went flying into the air. While he was up there, I shot at him like a skeet target with my arrows. He landed on the ground with a huge crash.

I strode up to his motionless form and laughed. It was a crazed, cynical laugh that scared me half to death.

"Lord of Time? King of the Titans? Pfft. Not on your very best day," I told him.

I really should learn to keep my mouth shut. Kronos exploded in a huge burst of energy. I suddenly felt like I'd been shoved into a meat grinder. When that feeling stopped, I was kicked backward several feet. I was covered in cuts, and my shirt was in tatters. I healed my wounds and tore off what was left of my shirt.

Kronos snapped his fingers, and the halfway destroy skyscraper began to crumble. He'd just aged the supports until they gave out. I looked up to see twenty tons of concrete tumbling toward me. Quicker than lightning, I shadow traveled behind Kronos, grabbed him by the neck, and shadow traveled us back to where I'd been standing. Just before the impact, I shadow traveled away, leaving Kronos to get to know the rubble.

For a reassuring second, nothing happened. But then, a scythe popped out of the debris, and Kronos soon followed. I decided to use my plan now. I jumped onto his back and shadow traveled us to China. After dropping him off, I shadow traveled back to San Francisco and jumped into the bay. I swam as fast as possible until I caught up with a massive bubble holding my friends and father.

On the ride down, I decided to talk to Travis.

"What were you thinking?" I asked. "Kronos is blasting half of California into orbit, and you go back for a sword?"

"Percy, do you remember me carrying two swords before Olympus fell?" he asked me.

"Uh, no not really," I admitted.

Travis looked at me like I'd just stabbed him in the chest. And believe me, I know that look. He raised the sword, the one he'd risked his life to retrieve. My head did a back flip.

It was Connor's sword.

"Oh gods, Travis. I'm so sorry I didn't know," I tried to apologize.

"Save it," he spat.

I was a little shocked. This wasn't the Travis I knew. This Travis was silent, dark, and brooding. Like Batman if he were a child of Hermes (he was really a son of Hades). I guess if I lost a brother I did everything with, I'd go all emo too...but still. In just one year, this war had done so much damage to so many people. Even I'd changed a little. I didn't fear death anymore, because I'd felt it before. My only fear was that I'd die before I could defeat Kronos. My only fear... was failure.

When we reached Typhon's Prison, a small welcoming party was waiting for us. Nico, Thalia, Chiron, Athena, Argus, and some other girl I'd never seen before were standing there waiting for us. I suddenly picked up something on my someone's-in-love senses, which I ignored. Athena smirked when she saw Poseidon.

"Well Kelp Head, you've been here forty-five seconds and you haven't destroyed the place. I'm impressed," she joked.

"I aim to please," my dad retorted sarcastically.

"I'm sure you do," Athena said, rolling her eyes.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Poseidon questioned.

"What's what supposed to mean?" Athena asked mockingly in an innocent voice.

"Oh will you two just make out and get it over with?" Nico shouted.

Everyone stared open mouthed at Nico. Poseidon and Athena turned toward each other and Poseidon did his well-why-not shrug. Athena gasped in disgust and slapped Poseidon across the face. The look on my dad's face said oh, that's why not.

"Okay if we're done here," I interrupted, "I'm kinda gonna die in a few days due to power overload, so if someone would be kind enough to tell me where Zeus is, I'll be on my way."

Athena looked at me, as if realizing for the first time I was standing there. She turned her attention to the girl I'd never seen before. She had raven hair and stormy gray eyes. That was all I could really see under the helmet and armor.

"Percy, this girl successfully sabotaged the Titan armory's defenses. I have a feeling that that's going to help you very soon," Athena told me.

"Thanks," I told her, "I owe you one. They were probably going to have me do that."

The girl laughed. That laugh sounded so familiar, so warm and friendly, it was hard to imagine that this girl had fought in a war. And she's in love with you. My senses suddenly told me. What the? Was my only thought.

"Now, on to other matters, if you're ready, Nico and Thalia are all set for your rescue of Zeus," Athena told me.

I nodded. "Let's go guys."

After my dad gave me his powers and his blessing, we were off.

The helmet of disguise my mom had given me was working almost perfectly. Aside from my eye color, I could alter any part of my appearance. I was finally able to walk around the entire complex without being attacked by angry former friends. Not to mention the sabotage job had earned me some major respect.

And so I was free to join my mother, Nico, Thalia, Chiron, and Argus in greeting Percy. I was not, however permitted to go with Percy on his next quest. Can't win 'em all.

When I saw Percy, shirtless and battle hardened, I think my heart did a little somersault. Did I just think that? I've got to stop hanging out with the surviving Aphrodite girls.

My mom told Percy how I'd sabotaged the armory's defenses and how that was going to be useful to him in the future.

He smiled at me and said, "Thanks, I owe you one. They were probably going to have me do that."

I laughed. Yeah, they probably would have.

Not long after Percy left to go save Zeus and I went back to my own tent, I got an IM from Luke.

"Annabeth, how's Percy doing?" he asked.

"Percy? Okay, I guess. The pains are getting worse though, and they're developing a tendency to show up at the most awkward of times. Like in the middle of a fight," I told him. Luke looked nervous.

"Kronos has pulled almost all the guards out of Zeus's prison," he stated, looking over his shoulder. "He wants Percy to have the power of all twelve Olympians."

"He wants to fight Percy again," I realized.

Luke nodded. "One on one, well mostly. But that's not it Annabeth. You know your invisibility cap? They found it. Your mom made it right?"

I was getting worried. "Yeah, why?"

"Kronos is trying to use magic to trace your hat back to its creator," Luke told me, again looking over his shoulder.

"Oh no. How long until they find us?" I asked.

"Not long. A day, two days tops. He's got Circe working on it," he told me.

"This could be bad."