A/N: As a side project, I am refining, retuning and rewriting this story. For past readers, the prose will be tighter, crisper, and clearer. For new readers, enjoy! The journey is far from over.

Here's my version of Riordan's Blood of Olympus (started before the book was released obviously). Just as a heads up I'm taking some... creative liberties. Hope y'all like it.

Boarded (RW)

The Argo II passed over town and after town as it traveled flew south along a course that Leo had charted around the Greek mainland to Athens. Percy leaned over the railing and watched them go, wishing that he and his friends could just put down in one, disappear, and forget this quest. Unfortunately, if they did that there would be no one to protect that town, or any of the others. Gaea would annihilate it all if she was allowed to wake. Percy huffed and turned away from the railing.

No one else was awake but Leo, who was running around the deck frantically, shouting orders at Buford and Festus. The sun had barely risen, but Leo was trying to install as many upgrades as he could before they reached Athens. Percy silently thanked him. They would need everything the little maniac could throw together.

Percy had only woken minutes ago, and he'd left Annabeth sleeping to get some fresh hair. While he barely slept, she'd had a horrible nightmare. Percy had held her throughout the night, and she'd finally settled down, so he decided to let her sleep in.

A shudder ran down Percy's spine. Annabeth talked in her sleep when she had nightmares. Last night was no exception, and Percy only needed to hear one word to keep him awake the rest of the night. Tartarus. Just thinking about that place nearly gave him a panic attack.

To distract himself, Percy tried to help with repairs, but Leo would not allow it. Apparently, Percy needed some serious R & R, but he was too anxious. He needed to do something, anything. In reality, everyone needed some peace and relaxation. Percy didn't think that he and Annabeth deserved to be treated differently, which made Leo's refusal of help that much more frustrating.

Still, he was thankful. It meant a lot to know his friends cared, and Percy knew Leo had taken their fall into Tartarus particularly hard. So he humored him. Deep down, Percy's exhaustion was only feeding the dread about the upcoming battle. This was the first time Percy truly wanted to give up. Not because he thought they couldn't do it, but because he thought that they shouldn't have to do it. After falling into Tartarus, he would gladly let any other heroes field this problem.

He shook his head. No, this was their fight. Gaea threw them into that pit, and Gaea was going to see what an angry son of Poseidon could do when someone tries to kill his girlfriend.

So Percy stood to the side and watched as the rest of the crew materialized one by one to perform their tasks. Words were sparse and the air was tense, as if everyone was giving themselves a mental pep-talk.

The sun had already climbed high into the sky when Annabeth finally emerged. She spotted him and marched over, "Seaweed Brain, you were supposed to wake me. I can't be the last one up."

"Sorry, but you looked so pretty. I didn't want to disturb you," he replied.

She still tried to appear angry, but her eyes shone gratefully. She winked and punched his arm, "Don't go soft on us now."

After what felt like hours, but was probably only minutes, of pacing the deck offering help, Percy stopped asking. When he thought no one was looking, he started moving around crates that Leo had been yelling at Frank to move all morning. Annabeth realized what he was doing and followed his lead. Piper caught them and guided them back to the railing. With just an ounce of charmspeak, she goaded them into staying put before she returned to her own work. Percy and Annabeth both huffed so loud that everyone else laughed.

A chilly breeze blew around Percy, and the hair on his neck stood up. He looked to Annabeth whose face said that she clearly felt it too. If you were a demigod, you learned to take omens like that seriously.

"Did anyone else feel –" Percy started to call out. He stopped when he realized the others were frozen in place. Everyone could sense something was very, very wrong.

"Okay. Battle stations ladies, gentleman, and Zhangs," Leo called out, his voice surprisingly commanding, "Better to be safe than dead. Festus scan –"

Leo was interrupted when a flash of light erupted in the center of the deck. The flash seared Percy's eyes and dropped him to his knees. Quickly, he jumped to his feet and uncapped Riptide, but his vision was slow to return.

What felt like an impossibly large hand grabbed him by the waist and pulled him into the air and didn't let go. Percy regained his sight only to realize he was a few feet from the face of a giant. Looking around, he saw the others still in various states of recovery from the divine flashbang. Piper was slumped against a crate, apparently unconscious. Jason bumbled around cursing and rubbing his eyes. Another giant stood over a prone and groaning Frank with his back to Percy. But the worst sight of all was in the giant's other hand. Annabeth was unconscious, her body limp and draped over the giant's fingers.

Anger surged through his body, but Percy's arms were pinned to his sides. The giant holding them smiled at his struggling, "Well, Percy Jackson, we finally meet. If you haven't guessed, I am Porphyrion, the Bane of Zeus."

The other giant turned to face them. All of the giants were monstrous and grotesque, but this one was ugly even for them, "Porphyrion, this was too easy. We should have done this ages ago. Now they have closed the Doors."

Porphyrion's smile faded, "Our brothers failed us. We underestimated these demigods, but no more," he squeezed his hand. Percy felt like his insides were being tenderized, "Now, we will take these two to Athens. They will be more than enough for the required sacrifice. No more games."

A dragon threw the other giant to the deck before he could respond. Frank had recovered quickly, and waited for the giants to get distracted. Jason leapt from behind a crate and brought his sword down on the giant's breastplate. Lightning erupted where the metals met, and Jason was thrown backward. The giant laughed as he stood up, "Where are your parents now, little ones? There is no help coming this time." He was engulfed in a fire blast from Leo, who now stood behind him.

"Enough!" Porphyrion cried, "Otus, I must take these two. Destroy this poor excuse for a ship."

The giant squeezed again, and red crept into Percy's vision. He yelled and struggled with renewed strength, but was blinded by a flash of light before blacking out.

Do not worry, hero, you will still get to watch.

Percy knew he was unconscious, but Gaea's voice led his mind, if not his body, back towards reality. Slowly, a vision materialized in his mind's eye. He saw the Argo II below him. The ship flew through a black storm cloud while swaths of deck and sail burned. Fingers of lightning reached out for the giant, but he swatted them away as if they were mosquitoes.

Frank was currently in bull form, charging again and again at the giant's legs, trying to bowl him over. Whenever Otus wasn't deflecting lightning from Jason or fire from Leo, he would try to kick Frank off the ship. Frank eventually went sailing overboard. The giant's relief was short-lived, and his smile died when Frank climbed back over the side as an even larger eagle.

Jason was dragging the unconscious Piper behind the cover of a large crate, while whipping up the storm as best he could. Hazel stood on the top of the mast. Whenever she jerked her hand, a large fragment of precious metal would come catapulting from the earth to the ship. Another flick of her wrist sent the stone hurtling into the giant. Her attacks were the most damaging to Otus, but her strength was visibly draining. The rocks came at slower intervals. Tears streamed down her cheeks.

After absorbing another burst of flame from Leo, Otus lifted his massive, bone-white scythe and brought it down on the base of the main mast. The wood fragmented, jerked, and began to fall. Hazel was thrown into the air, screaming. Frank leapt from the deck and caught Hazel on his back. He hovered in the air off the deck, unsure how to continue his attack.

"Frank, grab Leo! We have to get out of here!" Jason cried out. His face was covered with ash and blood, but Percy could still see the anguish written on it, "Now!"

"No!" Leo screamed back. Otus was laughing now as nearly the entire deck was engulfed in flame, "I'll go down with my ship, and the big idiot is coming with me!" Leo charged the giant, his entire body on fire.

"I'm sorry, Leo," Jason said, but Leo either didn't hear him or ignored him. Jason flicked his wrist. The storm lifted Leo into the air and shot him off the deck, cursing. "Think fast Frank!"

Frank didn't hesitate and dove after Leo. Jason grabbed Piper by the waist and leapt off the deck and was carried out of sight by the winds.

Cackling, Otus brought the scythe down in the center of the deck. The hull fractured down the middle. The giant, satisfied with his handiwork, flashed out. The two halves of the ship began falling away from each other in slow motion, still burning.

Gaea's cold laughter filled Percy's mind as the vision faded to black.