XXXII JASON

Jason, Piper, Leo, and Coach Hedge are confronted by a bathrobed old man and his scarred, sword-wielding son Lit. Piper calms the standoff enough to avoid immediate violence, and the old man reveals himself as King Midas, alive again with his lethal golden touch. Hedge steps outside as Midas boasts about his wealth, security, and a mysterious patron.

Midas and Lit admit ties to the giants and mention that Hunters of Artemis recently passed through, following a trail west in search of wolves and a missing demigod. Midas demonstrates his touch by turning Piper’s backpack to gold, which becomes a magical bag that can imprison the storm spirits; Leo proves it works by vacuuming the winds inside.

Dispelling the lesson from his myth, Midas shows his donkey ears and casually reveals he re-gilded his daughter and silenced his barber. He then declares the trio must either join his golden collection or die to Lit. In a sudden move, Midas grabs Piper’s wrist, turning her to gold, then does the same to Leo. Jason calls for Hedge, but no help arrives.

Jason invokes the right to combat, facing Lit with a javelin. Reading Lit’s offense-heavy style, Jason counters using Roman legion tactics and maneuvers Lit into Midas’s throne. When Midas tries to help, Jason lures him into touching Lit, freezing Lit as a golden statue. Midas rushes Jason, but Jason, enraged by his friends’ fate, summons a massive lightning strike through his javelin, collapsing the ceiling and triggering freezing rain.

The rain reverses the golden touch, freeing Piper, Leo, and Midas’s other victims while the chandelier pins Midas. Hedge finally bursts in, and the group grabs their gear—including the golden bag of winds—throws a rug over Lit’s statue to delay his return, and flees. Behind them, newly freed captives and family members close in on Midas, buying the heroes time to escape.