𝒗. 𝐈𝐌𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘

𝒙.

They could see the white flag from half a mile away. It was as big as a soccer field, carried by a thirty-foot tall giant with bright blue skin and icy gray hair. 

"A Hyperborean. The giants of the north," Noelle said, who ended up going with them despite Percy's protests. She made a fair enough point that Grover and Thalia sided with her after she said there'd be no fighting under a flag of truce, though everyone was still wary of her health. 

"It's a bad sign that they sided with Kronos. They're usually peaceful," Thalia said

"You've met them?" Percy said. 

"Mmm. There's a big colony in Alberta. You do not want to get into a snowball fight with those guys." 

As the giant got closer, Percy could see three human-size envoys with him: a half-blood in armor, an empousa demon with a black dress and flaming hair, and a tall man in a tuxedo. The empousa held the tux dude's arm, so they looked like a couple on their way to a Broadway show or something—except for her flaming hair and fangs. 

The group walked leisurely toward the Heckscher Playground. The swings and ball courts were empty. The only sound was the fountain on Umpire Rock. 

Percy looked at Grover. "The tux dude is the Titan?" 

He nodded nervously. "He looks like a magician. I hate magicians. They usually have rabbits." 

Percy stared at him. "You're scared of bunnies?" 

"Blah-hah-hah! They're big bullies. Always stealing celery from defenseless satyrs!" 

Thalia coughed. 

"What?" Grover demanded. 

"We'll have to work on your bunny phobia later," Noelle said. "Here they come." 

The man in the tux stepped forward. He was taller than an average human—about seven feet. His black hair was tied in a ponytail. Dark round glasses covered his eyes, but what really caught their attention was the skin on his face. It was covered in scratches, like he'd been attacked by a small animal—a really, really mad hamster, maybe. 

"Percy Jackson," he said in a silky voice. "It's a great honor."

His lady friend the empousa hissed at Percy. She'd probably heard how he'd destroyed two of her sisters last summer. 

"My dear," Tux Dude said to her. "Why don't you make yourself comfortable over there, eh?" 

She released his arm and drifted over to a park bench. 

Percy glanced at the armed demigod behind Tux Dude. He hadn't recognized him in his new helmet, but it was his old backstabbing buddy Ethan Nakamura. His nose looked like a squashed tomato from their fight on the Williamsburg Bridge. That made him feel a bit better, but Noelle was still a physical reminder of what he'd done. 

"Hey, Ethan," Percy said. "You're looking good." 

Ethan glared at him. 

"To business." Tux Dude extended his hand. "I am Prometheus." 

Percy was too surprised to shake. "The fire-stealer guy? The chained-to-the-rock-with-the-vultures guy?" 

Prometheus winced. He touched the scratches on his face. "Please, don't mention the vultures. But yes, I stole fire from the gods and gave it to your ancestors. In return, the ever merciful Zeus had me chained to a rock and tortured for all eternity." 

"But—" 

"How did I get free? Hercules did that, eons ago. So you see, I have a soft spot for heroes. Some of you can be quite civilized."