Return of the Disgraced Archangel

Giants Fall

     Alcyoneus's base was made entirely of ice. And it was a perfect, 1:1 scale recreation of Camp Jupiter. In the center, chained to a spire of ice, with shackles made of ice, was Death.

     Death looked like an old man. Dressed in a black business suit with a long black overcoat above that. He looked bored in his imprisonment. A steel scythe was stuck in the ice, only a few feet away. Like the giant was teasing his prisoner.

     Percy entered the center square of the camp, Hazel and Frank on his tail. He smiled upon seeing Death.

     "Death, old friend! How long has it been?"

     Death's lips quirked into a tiny smile. Barely noticeable. "Few millennia."

      "By Dad. That long? We really have to catch up! Say, how do you feel about hitting a restaurant and catching up?"

      "I don't know about that. After this, the amount of people that need to be escorted to the afterlives will be tremendous. I think I may be clogged up for years."

      "Damn. That's a shame. At the very least, we can get you out there and make sure that you don't have even more work for you to do."

     "And how do you propose that? I am chained here with my power. To melt these chains would require the fire of life, power boosted fifty fold!"

      Percy looked to Frank. Frank understood and shook his head. Percy held out his hand. "The firewood, Frank."

      Hazel clutched the firewood close to her chest.

       "Hazel." Percy said softly.

      She shook her head.

       "Frank, do you trust me?" Percy asked him.

      Frank thought about everything that had happened on the quest. Everything Percy helped with. He got them a better boat to speed them on their way. He fought an entire army that was marching to Camp Jupiter. He helped him rescue Hazel from the Karpoi. He used the spartus to kill the cannibals.

      But on the other hand, he annihilated the army. He sadistically watched as the karpoi pleaded with him. He grinned as they burned. He only stopped when they were dead, reduced to atoms. He caused Phineas a painful death, and then captured his soul to be in his servitude.

       Did he trust Percy? It seemed like the Devil was on his side. But it was to save his daughter. What happened if Gaia just gave him what he wanted? Would he still fight her, or leave them behind to deal with the primordial? The Devil only looked out for his own interests, so what would happen when his no longer aligned with Frank's?

       With all this questioning, it was clear what the answer was. He didn't. He wanted to, but Percy was unpredictable. One minute he was calm and collected, the next he would beat a guy senseless for saying the wrong thing to him.

       Percy read all of this on Frank's face. He sighed. "Frank, I really thought I would have proved myself to you." He looked downcast. "But." He looked up. "I get what I want."

       Before both demigods could react, Percy was in front of Hazel. He lightly tapped her forehead and her eyes rolled into the back of her head. Percy caught her as she collapsed. He reached into her hoodie and pulled out the firewood. He laid her down in the snow gently.

      He turned to Frank. "Isn't this the point of the quest? To free Death?"

        "I didn't know I was going to have to die to free him!" Frank growled. He tried to charge at Percy, but found he couldn't move. He couldn't move a muscle but his mouth.