The Altered Seven

The Battle For Camp Jupiter

Annabeth fired an arrow at the giant, nailing him in the shoulder. Alcyoneus roared and ripped out the arrow. Annabeth kept firing though, distracting the giant as Killian ran forward. He dodged the giant's swing with his mighty staff, slicing across his leg. Alcyoneus fell to one knee and leaned back, a hand reaching up with a screech of pain as one of Annabeth's arrows hit him in the eye.

This was the distraction that Killian needed. He jumped up and slammed the hilt of his sword into the back of the giant's head. Alcyoneus crumpled forward, toppling an icy watchtower.

"Piper!" Killian shouted. "The rope!"

"I got it!" Piper yelled back. She rushed forward, her short legs covering ground as fast as a Hermes kid. She threw one end to Killian, who quickly made a noose and fastened it round the giant's scaly dragon foot.

"We need to drag this guy inland, as fast and far as we can."

"But Michael!" Piper said.

Killian pseudo-cursed. How could he have forgotten? Through the ruins of the camp, he saw Michael with his back to the edge of the cliff. He held his staff in one hand and the legion's golden eagle in the other. The entire army of shades edged forward, their weapons bristling.

"Michael!" Killian yelled.

Michael glanced over. He saw the fallen giant and seemed to understand what was happening. He yelled something that was lost in the wind, probably: Go!

Then he slammed his staff into the ice at his feet. The entire glacier shuddered. Ghosts fell to their knees. Behind Michael, a wave surged up from the bay - a wall of gray water even taller than the glacier. Water shot from the chasms and crevices in the ice. As the wave hit, the back half of the camp crumbled. The entire edge of the glacier peeled away, cascading into the void - carrying buildings, ghosts and Michael Gardner over the edge.

Killian was so stunned that Piper had to yell his name a dozen times before he realized Alcyoneus was getting up again.

He slammed a fist into the giant's nose until Alcyoneus began to snore. Meanwhile the glacier kept crumbling, the edge getting closer and closer.

Thanatos glided towards them on his black wings, his expression serene.

"Ah, yes," he said with satisfaction. "There go some souls. Drowning, drowning. You'd best hurry, my friends, or you'll drown, too."

"But Michael..." Killian could barely speak his friend's name. "Is he -?"

"Too soon to tell. As for this one ..." Thanatos looked down at Alcyoneus with distaste. "You'll never kill him here. You know what to do?"

Killian nodded numbly. "I think so."

"Then our business is complete."

"Urgg," Alcyoneus mumbled.

Killian hit him over the head again.

"What about the Doors of Death?" Annabeth said. "Where are they? How do we close them?"

"Ah, yes." A look of irritation flickered across Thanatos's face. "The Doors of Me. Closing them would be good, but I fear it is beyond my power. How you would do it, I haven't the faintest idea. I can't tell you exactly where they are. The location isn't ... well, it's not entirely a physical place. They must be located through questing. I can tell you to start your search in Rome. The original Rome. You will need a special guide. Only one sort of demigod can read the signs that will ultimately lead you to the Doors of Me."

Thanatos dissipated into black smoke.

Cracks appeared in the ice under their feet.

"We need to go," Killian said. "We need to get Alcyoneus over the border."