LII

Leo pilots the Argo II out of the collapsing cavern after securing the Athena Parthenos, but Percy and Annabeth disappear into a pit now buried under tons of debris. The team reconvenes on a hill above Rome, devastated and unable to access the imploded site, while police swarm the area.

Grappling with guilt over Nemesis’s fortune cookie and past mistakes, Leo blames himself for the loss. Hazel refuses to let him shoulder it, recalling Sammy’s misplaced guilt. Nico asserts Percy and Annabeth are still alive, though he admits the limits of certainty given Tartarus’s power.

Jason and Frank fault themselves for not rescuing the pair, but Nico explains that Tartarus’s pull would have dragged down any rescuer. He emphasizes Percy’s unparalleled strength and Annabeth’s support, believing they will fight their way to the Doors of Death from below.

Nico relays Percy’s instructions: the crew must reach Epirus and the mortal side of the Doors. The team faces a tight deadline—one month before Gaea’s awakening—while Romans advance toward Camp Half-Blood. They accept that sealing the Doors from both sides is the only way to stop Gaea’s immortal armies.

Resolved, Leo turns to the Archimedes sphere and ancient scrolls, vowing to upgrade the Argo II with new weapons and innovations. Embracing the crew’s teasing title of “Admiral,” Leo orders Festus to raise the sails. They depart Rome to find the House of Hades and prepare to reunite with Percy and Annabeth at the Doors of Death.