The Heroes of Olympus, #3
The Mark of Athena
by Rick Riordan
Contents
XLVI
Overview
In the hypogeum, chaos erupts as Ephialtes manipulates the arena and tries to unleash a hydra on Rome. Percy destroys the hydra and the control board, but the giants reform and overpower the demigods. With Piper injured and Nico dazed, Percy and Jason face defeat—until Bacchus arrives.
Summary
The fight begins with Ephialtes and Otis teleporting and weaponizing the arena. Percy is trapped by moving walls, Piper leaps through fire pits to reach a dazed, unarmed Nico, and Jason engages Otis. Ephialtes attempts to send a caged hydra to terrorize Rome, forcing Percy to cut the chains and drop the monster into the arena.
Unarmed, Percy dodges the hydra’s acid and buys time with a dissolving bag of Wonder bread. He locates a rigged “Happy Destruction, Rome!” launcher array, pivots it toward Ephialtes, and fires. The barrage vaporizes the hydra but ricochets around the chamber, collapsing parts of the ceiling, releasing more animals, and briefly blasting Ephialtes off his feet.
As debris falls, Piper shields Nico but is struck and injured. Jason’s wind deflects Otis’s thrown spear, which skewers Ephialtes, reducing him to dust. A stray pink Roman candle blast then collapses the roof onto Otis. Jason rushes to Piper, while Nico sits up groggily.
Both giants quickly reform. At Jason’s warning, Percy recovers Riptide and destroys the control board, ending Ephialtes’s spectacle. Ephialtes retaliates, smashing Percy with his spear and driving him to his knees. Piper cannot stand, and Nico is barely conscious; the giants heal and advance, confident they cannot be killed without a god’s aid.
As Ephialtes and Otis prepare to finish Percy and Jason, the ceiling lowers a platform. Bacchus appears with his thyrsus and announces his timely arrival, shifting the odds just as the demigods are about to be overwhelmed.
Who Appears
- Percy JacksonLeads the fight; prevents the hydra’s release, vaporizes it with a launcher, destroys the control board, and is battered by Ephialtes.
- Jason GraceDuels Otis; redirects a spear to dust Ephialtes; aids Piper; stands with Percy against the reforming giants.
- Piper McLeanProtects Nico with her cornucopia; is injured by falling sandbags and cannot stand by chapter’s end.
- EphialtesShowman giant controlling the arena; briefly dusted, reforms; injures Percy and prepares to finish the heroes.
- OtisBallet-obsessed giant; fights Jason; crushed by collapsing roof, reforms, and joins Ephialtes to execute the demigods.
- Nico di AngeloRescued but dazed and weaponless; survives thanks to Piper, barely conscious during the battle.
- BacchusArrives at the climax with his thyrsus, promising divine aid against the giants.
- HydraUnleashed into the arena; attacks Percy before being vaporized by the launcher array.