―v| grover releases the blessing of the wild

                                    

                                          

                            

                                
                            
                              
                                  
                              
                              
                                
                                  
                                  
                                
                              
                             
                            
                            
                          
                          
🎀
IT WAS THE BIGGEST MILITARY OPERATION Aurelie was seeing and witnessing since World War II. 
Everyone was at the clearing, dressed in full battle armor. The Hephaestus cabin had set up traps around the entrance to the Labyrinth. Head counselor of this cabin— Beckendorf or something like that— was manning two catapults the size of pickup trucks, already primed and aimed. The Ares cabin was on the front line, drilling in phalanx formation with their head counselor calling orders. Apollo and Hermes' cabin were scattered in the woods with bows ready. Many had taken up positions in the trees. Even dryads were armed with bows, and the satyrs trotted around with wooden cudgels and shields. 
Annabeth went to join her siblings, who had set up a command tent and were directing operations. The camp security chief, Argus, stood guard at the door. Aphrodite's children were running around straightening everybody's armor and offering to comb the tangles out of their horsehair plumes. Dionysus's twin sons were running around providing all the sweaty warrior with water bottles and juice boxes.
"It isn't enough," Chiron muttered.
Aurelie agreed with him. She'd seen all the monster in Antaeus's arena and temporary felt the power of Kronos. They needed more but that they was all they could muster.
Over at the edge of the clearing, Grover was talking with some dryad. From the way they were holding hands Aurelie guessed that it had to be his girlfriend. Green tears formed in the dryad's eyes as Grover told her about the passing of Pan.
The Cyclops Tyson was helping the Hephaestus kids to prepare for defense.
"Where should I go, Chiron?" Aurelie asked the centaur.
"Stay with me," Chiron said. "You, too, Percy. When the fighting begins, I want you two to wait until we know what we're dealing with. You must go where we most need reinforcements."
She nodded.
"I— we saw Kronos," Percy blurted out. "I looked straight into his eyes. It was Luke... but it wasn't."
Chiron ran his fingers along his bowstring. "He had golden eyes, I would guess. And in his presence, time seemed to turn to liquid."
Percy nodded. "How could he take over a mortal body?"
"I do not know, Percy. Gods have assumed the shapes of mortals for ages, but to actually become one... to merge the divine form with the mortal. I don't know how this could be done without Luke's form turning into ashes."
"Kronos said his body had been prepared."
"I shudder to think what that means. But perhaps it will limit Kronos's power. For a time, at least, he is confined to a human for. It binds him together. Hopefully it also restricts him."
"Chiron, if he leads the attack— "
"I do not think so, my boy. I would sense if he were drawing near. No doubt he planned to, but I believe you inconvenienced him when you pulled down his thrown room on top of him." The centaur looked at the son of Poseidon reproachfully. "You and your friend Nico, son of Hades.