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I heard an explosion in the distance About half a ht of two giant creatures I could dimly iant humanoid like a Cyclops, but he was surrounded by a flurry of liiant octopi Then I realized they were his own ar arms

"Briares!" I said

I was happy to see hi for his life He was the last of his kind--a Hundred-Handed One, cousin of the Cyclopes We'd saved him from Kronos's prison last summer, and I knew he'd come to help Poseidon, but I hadn't heard of hihts well," Poseidon said "I e had a whole army like him, but he is the only one"

I watched as Briares bellowed in rage and picked up the lobster, which thrashed and snapped its pincers He threw it off the coral mountain, and the lobster disappeared into the darkness Briares swa like the blades of a motorboat

"Percy, we may not have much time," my dad said "Tell me of your mission Did you see Kronos?"

I told hih my voice choked up when I explained about Beckendorf I looked down at the courtyards below and saw hundreds of woundedon makeshift cots I sas of coral raves I realized Beckendorf wasn't the first death He was only one of hundreds, ry and helpless

Poseidon stroked his beard "Percy, Beckendorf chose a heroic death You bear no blame for that Kronos's army will be in disarray Many were destroyed"

"But we didn't kill him, did we?"

As I said it, I kneas a naive hope We rate his monsters, but a Titan lord wouldn't be so easy to kill

"No," Poseidon adht our side soods on that ship," I said, thinking of the kid I'd seen in the stairwell Somehow I'd allowed myself to concentrate on thetheir ship was all right because they were evil, they were sailing to attack my city, and besides, they couldn't really be permanently killed Monsters just vaporized and re-forods

Poseidon put his hand on od warriors aboard that ship, and they all chose to battle for Kronos Perhaps so and escaped If they did notthey chose their path"

"They were brainwashed!" I said "Now they're dead and Kronos is still alive That's supposed to lared at thetile monsters It seemed so easy when it was just a picture

Tyson put his arm around me If anybody else had tried that, I would've pushed hied me whether I wanted it or not "Not your fault, brother Kronos does not explode good Next ti stick"

"Percy," my father said "Beckendorf's sacrifice wasn't in vain You have scattered the invasion force New York will be safe for a tier threat"

"The bigger threat?" I thought about what the golden Titan had said in e Soon they will be destroyed

A shadow passed over h sorrow for one day Ask Chiron when you return to camp"

"Return to camp? But you're in trouble here I want to help!"

"You can't, Percy Your job is elsewhere"

I couldn't believe I was hearing this I looked at Tyson for backup

My brother chewed his lip "DaddyPercy can fight with a sword He is good"

"I know that," Poseidon said gently

"Dad, I can help," I said "I know I can You're not going to hold out here er"

A fireball launched into the sky froht Poseidon would deflect it or so, but it landed on the outer corner of the yard and exploded, sending h the water Poseidon winced as if he'd just been stabbed

"Return to camp," he insisted "And tell Chiron it is time"

"For what?"

"You must hear the prophecy The entire prophecy"

I didn't need to ask hi about the "Great Prophecy" for years, but nobody would ever tellAll I kneas that I was supposed to make a decision that would decide the fate of the world--but no pressure

"What if this is the decision?" I said "Staying here to light, or leaving? What if I leave and you"

I couldn't say die Gods weren't supposed to die, but I'd seen it happen Even if they didn't die, they could be reduced to nearly nothing, exiled, imprisoned in the depths of Tartarus like Kronos had been

"Percy, you o," Poseidon insisted "I don't knohat your final decision will be, but your fight lies in the world above If nothing else, you must warn your friends at camp Kronos knew your plans You have a spy We will hold here We have no choice"

Tyson gripped my hand desperately "I willus, our father seee another ten years "Tyson, you have work to do as well, my son They need you in the armory"