( I realized I made  a mistake in the past few chapters where I put Gawain as Galahad instead which makes no sense since Mash is technically Galahad, I just went through correcting it, but if you all find any more instances where it's supposed to be Gawain and I put Galahad, please let me know). 

Mordred rampaged in front of Kronos's retreating ranks for about an hour, yelling death threats, challenges, and angry insults demanding vengeance for how they mistreated me. 

I wanted to shout at Mordred to pull back as I was afraid that using Rhongomyniad too much might start to take her head, as well as drain her power immensely.  After all, she didn't have an Elder Goddess's body like me (and I hoped she never had to go through the trials required for one either). 

But even with my attempts to tell Mordred to pull back, my body was currently still too fatigued to really exert itself in getting Mordred to pull back. 

And to top it off, Clarisse was also running up front with Mordred, joining her in screaming bloody murder to Kronos's army. 

"Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on those two." said Chris as I was pulled into the medical tent and Nightingale began feeding me plenty of Ambrosia and Nectar.  "Er.. so are you just going to use Excalibur now? Or.."

"I'll keep Rhongomyniad with me.." I said.. "In the meantime, have Da'Vinci give Clarent a quick repair.. I think Camelot Steel Noble Phantasms can definitely heal on their own like Excalibur, but I don't want Mordred to be weaponless for the duration of end of this war.."

"You think we've really reached the end Saber?" Shirou asked as he sat next to my cot. 

"Most likely.." I said as I sat up. "This is the final stand.. the final stretch.. I can already sense Typhon's approach coming ever closer.. his magic energy is stifling.. "

Mordred suddenly walked in, panting, sweating. "Yeah.. I.. showed them.. urgh.."

I looked at Mordred, smiling broadly. "I knew you had it in you.."

"Did ya now? Even when you were yelling at me to run for it?" said Mordred, grinning ear to ear. "Ahhhh.. I know.. haha.. here, you're better at using this than me."

Mordred held Rhongomyniad out to me.. 

For a moment I was silent, considering things. Rhongomyniad could only ever be used by the True King. Mordred had proved just now she was more than ready.. 

"When this war is over, if we're all still alive in the end.. you are to put that away and not use it unless in the gravest of circumstances." I said. "Do you understand?"

"A.. are you.. giving this to me?" Mordred stammered. "B.. But sis.. like.. you need this too! You're fighting Kronos here!"

"Which is why I can do this.." I said, waving a hand over the lance.. and in a burst of light, I pulled the Lance's original non-reddened form from the version Mordred was holding.. so now each of us was holding our own Rhongomyniad.

"WHAAAAAAA!?" Mordred yelped, her eyes wide. 

"Okay that is... that is... Saber you've learned how to use Projection to the INFINITE power here!" said Shirou. 

"Rhongomyniad  the lance is the Projection of Rhongomyniad the Tower.. " Annabeth had just entered, looking a little amused. "The lance is just a medium by which one can project it's power into the real world.. They're both using the same lance, cause it's the same tower, there's no reason why there can't be two mediums..  Like two chords going into the same power strip."

"There are limits to how many mediums one can have at once though." I said. "Mordred is worth stretching the limits.."

Mordred blushed, hugging her new lance to her chest.  "I.. w.. wow.."

 Chris.. go Da'Vinci to have your Clarent repaired." I said. "And if you can, please tell everyone to start moving everything up to Olympus, things are too close right now... we need a safer area to treat wounded. Tell Galahad for me, he can manage the rest."

"Right." said Chris. 

I unsummoned Rhongomyniad and Excalibur, which was frayed on the edges of the blade, obviously having taken more punishment than it was built for.. "Come on.. "

Rin and Grover joined us on the way to the elevator.. they were waiting for us when we got there.

"You okay?" Grover asked. "Rin's been trying to set up some enchantments to stall Kronos's forces at the Elevator.. the giants won't be a problem, they can't fit at all."

"Just need a few more of my gems." said Rin. "Then even the enemy Servants will start to have trouble.. I've contacted Lord El Melloi II in the Watch Tower.. one of the few Mages still on our side and adamant about helping.. he gave me a few choice spells I could use for the development of the-.."

Rin stared at Mordred. "What the heck happened to you!?"

"You weren't outside when that happened were you?" Grover muttered.

"Of course I wasn't! I was in here with Da'Vinci setting up the last of the counter curses!" said Rin. "Oh.. er by the way.. umm.."

Rin pointed at the lobby floor where I could see Liz helping one of our medics tend to a familiar looking satyr, whose leg was broken, and on top of that, there was a spear in his belly..

"Leneus!!" Grover said with despair, running over to the old goat. 

"Grover.. ah.. yes.. I knew it.. we won right? We were victorious! All thanks to me?" said Leneus. "Yes..?"

Grover sighed and nodded. "Yeah.. we won.. we couldn't have done it without you Leneus, it was all you in the end."

Leneus's face split into a wide smile, and nodded. "See? Told you so.. I'm what Pan needs.. told you I would.. would..."

Leneus closed his eyes.. and he shrank until he became a small sprout growing from some dirt.. 

"A Laurel.. that lucky old goat.." Grover muttered. He looked at us. "I'd.. like to plant him Olympus.. safer up there I guess.."

I nodded. "Of course..."

There we were.. the Six of us... all riding up the elevator.

Just like old times.. 

On one hand I had Mordred, my loyal sister, standing here with me..  and then when you looked on the left and right, it was like staring at two completely different eras.

Rin and Shirou.. my oldest companions from the Grail Wars..  and then Grover and Annabeth, the friends who I started this particular journey with.. the entire Saber gang was here.. all I needed now was the knights of the Round Table and we could have a Reunion party. 

Annabeth leaned against the elevator wall putting  a hand to her eyes, tears beginning to stream down her face. "You were right.. Saber.."

"Annabeth.." I said.

"About Luke.. you were right.. you warned me and warned me.. and.. now Silena and Mash are gone.." said Annabeth. "You were right.. happy..?"

"No.. " I said "I loved him too.. at one point.."

Shirou put a hand on my shoulder. "What happened with Luke isn't on you.. any of you.."

"But it still happened.. " I whispered. 

"Well well.. look at us.. bunch of misfits, nearly getting killed, fighting evil, making up rhymes, all over again." said Grover. "The usual, oh look, it's our floor."

"Ding!" The elevator opened up to the pathway leading up to Mt. Olympus.

Already there were tons of injured campers and servants being tended to on the pathway..  We went amongst them, trying to boost morale, telling them that they would be up fighting in no time.

I found Pollux, Dionysus's son, sitting nearby with a broken arm, being tended to by a Satyr. 

As Grover planted Leneus, I walked over, remembering what Dionysus had requested.

"Hey Saber.. just getting back into it.."

"Your arm's broken." I said.

"I can swing with one arm." said Pollux.

"No." I said. "You did well, but now it's time to rest. King's orders... okay?"

Pollux nodded, looking rather relieved, he laid back, letting the Satyr tend to him as I joined my friends. 

"I have an idea, come on.. we need to make our way to the palace." I said quietly. 

"So, how well thought out is this idea?" Annabeth asked.

"Probably more of a 'let's wing it' than an actual plan." I said. "But before Mash was taken, she mentioned that there was somebody else behind the strings.. that Kronos isn't the mastermind we thought he was.."

"Mash said-?" Annabeth looked stunned. "But.. how could she-?"

"We always knew there was something strange about her." I said. "Galahad's powers, no memories.. her origins had to be from somewhere, and yet.. they couldn't be from here. She mentioned another world.. another timeline..  if Avenger is another Annabeth, then why couldn't it be possible?"

"Then what now?" Grover asked. 

"Mash mentioned Rachel's Sketchbook.. the things she drew in them.. " I said. "Demon Pillars.. There were demon pillars there, like in Geryon's Ranch.."

"Where is she?" Rin asked. "I haven't seen her since the helicopter thing.."

"I have a hunch.." I muttered. 

We walked into the palace to find Rachel there, sitting with Hestia next to the flickering hearth, holding Pandora's Jar in her arms.. where did she find that?! 

"Strange.. isn't it?" Rachel whispered as she held the jar to her chest. "I can see Hope inside, so fragile.. so.. small.. so..."

"Rachel." I said quietly.

Rachel turned to look at me. She seemed to snap out of some sort of trance. "I'm.. sorry I."

Rachel turned to look at Hestia. Percy was sitting next to her, crosslegged. He shrugged at me as if to say 'I'm just as aware of what's going on as you are'. 

Rachel held the jar back to me and I took it. "Rachel I-.."

"Rachel's path is a hard one.." Hestia suddenly said, cutting me off. "But it is not yours to tread King of Knights.. I must implore that you not question her about what she has seen or discussed with me.. "

"Right.." I said feeling a little sour at this. "But there is something else I wish to talk about.. Rachel, your sketchbook, can I look at it?"

Rachel nodded and hastily pressed the book into my hands. "72 pages."

"What?" said Mordred. 

"72 pages in total.." said Rachel. "That's how many illustrations I've made. 72 pages, 72 demons."

"72 demons.. ?" Muttered Annabeth. "Wait.. I've heard that before.. I've... "

"So have I.. I know that's from SOMEWHERE.." said Rin. "72 demons.. could it be!?"

"No it couldn't be!" Annabeth said.

"But it is!" said Rin.

"IT IS!" Rin and Annabeth said the same time, looking at each other excitedly. 

"Um... care to illuminate us lesser folk of the more mentally challenged?" said Shirou raising a hand. 

"I am also quite lost." I muttered as I flipped through the pages of Rachel's book, looking at the various demon pillar sketches. 

"It's Smart People itis!" said Mordred. "When Smart People become too smart, they gradually start to lose their heads till they synchronize insanity with each other!"

I stared at Mordred. "Where the heck did you hear that from?"

"Cu.." Mordred said.

"Of course." I muttered. "Gay Bulge strikes again."

"GAE BOLG!!" Cu's distant voice screamed from farther down Olympus's residential area.  

"72 Demons can only mean one thing.. The Mage King Solomon." said Rin.

"Solomon.." I muttered. "Do you mean-?"

"Yes, THE Solomon.. King Solomon." said Annabeth. "The Wise King appointed by God and given boundless wisdom.  Naturally with immense wisdom, Solomon became aware of magic and how it worked, so he eventually became a brilliant professional in the field of magecraft in general. Eventually he became known as the King of Mages."

"They say he found 72 demons defying god and found a way to make spells to stop them and control them." said Rin. "The collective of spells and demons became known as the book Goetia."

"But that was false." said Annabeth. "The Demon pillars weren't in fact demons from hell but just creations made by Solomon for the purpose of protecting humanity, like a failsafe AI.."

"Wow.. you know about that?" said Rin, sounding impressed.

"My mother really loved Solomon, they got along well." Annabeth said. "Solomon would never seek something so blasphemous to God as trying to use fallen angels for his own ends..  at least that's how Mom put it.."

"Athena's wise on that front, Christians consider the concept of Goetia to be extremely blasphemous.." I said. "On the other hand, if it was truly just a Magical AI system.. then that's a different story..  making a computer to help humans is not blasphemous in the slightest from my point of view. As long as humans don't start worshiping it.."

"So, you've seen Greek Gods and Monsters and you're still Christian?" said Rachel with a small smile. 

"Of course." I said. "In my opinion, lower case g gods are just very powerful beings that happen to live on the same planet.. the real God created them.. end of story.. "

Rachel nodded. "Nice."

That, and in my opinion there was no way this world would still be standing if idiots like the Olympians were completely in charge the whole time.  The fact the planet hadn't blown up due to some petty argument with Zeus and his family by now was sheer proof to me of a higher power.

"So anyways." I said. "Are we saying that.. what.. King Solomon is behind this?"

"That seems far fetched." Percy interjected. "I mean Solomon was supposed to be some very super wise dude right? Why would he want to revive Kronos? That's as like, unwise as you can get."

"From a human perspective." I mused. "Hear me out for a second. Have you ever read the Songs of Solomon?"

"The book of the Bible where Solomon keeps on saying everything in life is meaningless and it makes you feel absolutely depressed when you read it?" asked Shirou. 

"You need to read the whole thing, it's actually trying to tell you that without God life is meaningless." I said. "But the point is, that Solomon was wise enough to see that humans are a very poisonous existence, and the gods as well. We take and we never give, we're like a cancer that chips away at the world. Violence is central to the nature of humanity.. and yet Solomon created an AI to protect that.. "

"An AI built on Solomon's principles of peace being made to protect a violent humanity.." said Annabeth. "When I think about that, I don't really fancy being the AI in that situation.."

Mordred just blinked at us. "Er.. okay.. still don't get it.. I mean it's an AI.. my smartphone was made to use GPS and make calls.. was it made to open cans? No.. I still use it as a can opener though.. what's the big deal?"

"Your smart phone isn't made of ancient forbidden magic." I said.  "Mordred you've been with me on those quests where we've seen constructs of magic gone awry.. magic AIs.. they have a potential to live..  Mash tried to say a name before she died.. a name that sounded with a 'g' sound.. "

Annabeth looked at me with horror. "You.. can't seriously mean..?"

"Goetia.. the Grimoire which houses the collective of all 72 demons.." said Rachel. "So like.. you're saying a TITAN.. is being manipulated by 72 demons!? That can't be possible.."

"It is." said Annabeth breathlessly. "It IS though..  Mother said that the Construct that created the AI was brilliant, beyond brilliant. Even Daedalus couldn't manage to create something so complex.. but the thing about the AI Goetia is that the book is supposed to be locked in a vault far beneath the Clock Tower.. am I right Rin?"

"Yeah.. it is.." said Rin. "We'd know if it went missing.. did you say Mash was from another world Saber..? If she is.. then.."

"Are we saying that we are dealing with a Goetia from another world?" said Percy. "One that Mash met?"

"One that Mash met, and defeated.. she said that her and some friend she knew beat it the first time." I said.

"Then that's great!" said Grover. "We can beat it too! So how do we do that?"

We looked at each other for a moment.. none of us had ANY idea how to beat Goetia.. heck, we didn't even know how the manifestation of 72 demons were even controlling Kronos or Luke.. or whether they were just working FOR 72 demons..or.. we didn't even know if our theory was right..

"Blahaha.." Grover bleated nervously. "We're all sorts of screwed aren't we?"

"And Typhon's going to be here in several hours at the least." said Annabeth. "We're in a cage with no way of getting out."

I looked down at the jar where I could sense hope flitting around strangely. 

"Open the jar, and I know you will have surrendered, let hope loose.. " Prometheus's voice seemed to whisper into my ear, tempting me.. beckoning.

I looked at Percy, Today was supposed to be the day.. today was his birthday.. today was the day he made the choice that made or broke the world. I didn't know what it would be. 

"Percy.." I said, I held out the Jar to him. I knew this was a risk, I didn't know how Percy felt about the whole situation right now. "What do you think we should do?"

"S.. Saber..?" Grover said warningly. "I'm not sure you should be-.."

Percy took the jar, and seemed to feel it out. From the look in his eyes, I could tell he was feeling out Hope within.. wondering if it was really worth more death for the inevitable victory of Kronos.. 

He turned to Hestia and put the jar in Hestia's hands. 

Hestia," he said, "I give this to you as an offering."

The goddess tilted her head. "I am the least of the gods. Why would you trust me with this?"

"You're the last Olympian," he said."And the most important."

"And why is that, Percy Jackson?"

"Because Hope survives best at the hearth," he said. "Guard it for me, and neither me or Saber will be tempted to give up again."

The goddess smiled. She took the jar in her hands and it began to glow. The hearth fire burned a little brighter.

"Well done, Percy Jackson," she said. "May the gods bless you. "

I felt a burning pride ignite in my chest for my foster brother. And it was this that finally reignited what little fighting spirit still burned within me..  "Come, I have a plan."

I walked over to the thrones sitting in the palace, the Olympian Thrones.. the Seats of Power we were trying to protect. I strode over to the throne of Poseidon, the seat that looked like a deep sea fisherman's chair. 

I clambered onto the chair.

"SABER!" Grover said. "BLAAAAHAA! What are you-!?"

"OH MY-!" Rin squealed. "Are you insane!?"

"Probably." I said. 

"COOOOLL!! SIS IS REBELLING TOO!" said Mordred. "I knew I got it from somewhere!!"

I situated myself in the throne that was way too large for me.. immediately a voice roared into my head like a hurricane, nearly tearing my head apart in spite of my Goddess Body. "WHO DARES!!!?"

Just as suddenly the voice died down. "A.. Arturia!? Wait, your presence feels-.."

"Yes.. sorry my lord." I said quickly. "I realize this is an unconventional way to gain your attention, but I needed something big.. "

"Yes yes.. my.. I see this is the body of an Elder Goddess. How intriguing.. it feels.. I'm sorry, off track, I do wish you came up with something a little more.. safe.. I was this close to attempting to vaporize you, and even in that form it would've hurt."

"We're running low on time.. " I said. "Please, just hear me out for a minute."

After I explained the plan, Poseidon paused. "Arturia.. you realize my entire kingdom will be destroyed.. my territory will be-.."

I smiled. I remembered Percy's words to Hestia. The Hearth.. Hope survived best next to it.. and yet I had not given up hope because of my friends.. not because of a building..  My Knights still called me king.. I had only told Vortigern he would be King of Nothing because of one crucial fact about Camelot.

Camelot was a people, not a place..  (very Thor Ragnarok of me).  My friends.. my knights.. Camp Half Blood.. they were my Camelot.. and Vortigern never had those.. he could never be king.

"Buildings can be rebuilt." I said. "Swords can be reforged.. and the sea is eternally yours to do with as you would even if the buildings made of coral are now piles of coral rubble.. but the Hearth is us..  "

"Yes.. but the Royal Gameroom alone took at least 4000 years to-.." 

"Poseidon.. no.. your majesty.. my liege.. father to my brother.." I said. "Which is truly more important? Your palace.. or your family.. and your idiot thunderhead brother..?"

Poseidon chuckled. "You make a fair point.. especially about my idiot thunderhead brother.."

I smiled. 

"Now.. are you SURE about this, we have a royal Feasting Hall too.. with all you can eat Bacon Cheeseburgers-.."

"If you dare try to tempt me with such a low blow.." I said.

"Kidding.. but I am in a mind to add one of those if we all live to survive this.." 

"Then consider me your honorary first customer." I said as the telepathy shut off, and I got off the throne. 

Everyone was staring at me with jaws open as I walked over to them. "What?"

"You were.. steaming a bit.. smoke was coming out of your ears.. " said Grover. "Th.. then it stopped.."

"Nothing huge.. just Poseidon almost attempting to incinerate me.."  I said. "In any case, that's one side of my plan finished.. we just need to deal with the other side.."

"Which is?" said Percy.

"Luring out Goetia, and dealing with him personally." I said as clenched my lance and sword tightly.