The Heroes of Olympus, #5
The Blood of Olympus
by Rick Riordan
Contents
LIII
Overview
Nico and Will race to stop Octavian as Gaea is carried skyward by Festus and Jason and Piper pursue. Obsessed with glory, Octavian fires the onager and is flung with its payload, becoming the fiery comet that triggers the massive sky explosion. Michael Kahale allows fate to proceed, signaling the end of Octavian’s threat.
Summary
In the chaos of battle, Will Solace pulls Nico toward a new threat: Octavian at an onager. As they descend the hill, Gaea rises, only to be snatched by Festus, who soars upward while storm clouds gather around Jason and Piper flying to intercept.
Nico and Will reach the siege engine and find Octavian frantically adjusting it, his gold ornaments smoking from the Imperial gold payload’s fumes. Octavian, raving about destiny and glory, ignores their warnings that he might kill Jason and Piper if he fires. Overhead, Jason’s storm intensifies as the dragon climbs higher.
Michael Kahale arrives, dazed but armed. After assessing Octavian’s tangled robes and the primed weapon, Michael pointedly asks if Octavian is certain, then stations himself to block Nico and Will. Accepting that some deaths cannot be prevented, Nico holds back.
Octavian cuts the release, and the onager hurls both ammunition and Octavian skyward. He becomes part of a fiery comet that pierces the storm clouds. Michael bids Octavian goodbye and withdraws, as the comet vanishes into the storm and the sky erupts in a dome of fire.
Who Appears
- Nico di AngeloFollows Will to confront Octavian; chooses not to interfere, accepting that some deaths can’t be prevented.
- OctavianUnhinged augur; tries to shoot down Gaea, triggers the onager, and is launched with the payload.
- Will SolaceAlerts Nico to Octavian; attempts to reason with him and urges caution.
- Michael KahaleArrives injured; tacitly allows Octavian’s fate, blocks interference, and then walks away.
- Jason GraceFlies toward Festus with Piper, summoning a storm around the aerial battle.
- Piper McLeanRides with Jason toward Festus and Gaea during the climactic sky battle.
- FestusBronze dragon that snatches Gaea and carries her into the stormy sky.
- GaeaRises in full power but is seized by Festus and drawn into the aerial conflict.
- TysonBattles cynocephali nearby; previously knocked out Michael Kahale.
- Grover UnderwoodLeads satyrs whose discordant music shatters earthen-shelled ghosts.
- Travis StollArgues mid-battle about misplaced land mines, adding to the chaos.