IX

Leo hides in the Argo II’s hull, quietly installing risky braces for a secret project he believes could reuse machinery for a last-resort plan. In his cabin he checks two crucial items—a bronze astrolabe and a crystal from Ogygia—hoping to combine them to reach Calypso, whose portrait Hazel sketched from Leo’s description.

Festus signals descent toward Olympia, forcing Leo to join the others at breakfast. Festus now pilots the ship solo, with Buford and a Mini-Hedge hologram as backup. Around the table, Jason’s steaming, purple wound still pains him despite treatment from Piper, highlighting how fragile demigods are compared to machines.

They review Juno’s command to find and subdue Nike in Olympia. The group realizes that, as the goddess of victory split between Greek and Roman aspects, Nike likely exacerbates rivalry, preventing the camps and gods from unifying. Annabeth warns that certain pairings—Jason with Percy, or Frank with Annabeth—could trigger divine antagonism.

Frank proposes a balanced four-person team to counter Nike’s competitive aura. After debate, they settle on Leo and Percy for the Greeks, Frank and Hazel for the Romans, avoiding volatile combinations. Piper volunteers but is advised sitting out so Aphrodite’s competitive edge doesn’t provoke Nike. They note it’s July 22—ten days left—too risky to cut through Corinth or reach Delphi, though they hope to find Apollo and Artemis later.

With the plan set to drop anchor and approach Olympia from the air, Leo embraces the “impossible” challenge. Buoyed by defiance, he heads to gear up, determined to confront Nike and someday fulfill his promise to return to Calypso.