The House of Hades

Auster, the stormy Roman South Wind, greets Jason. Auster accuses Jason of being undecided, easily blown by the wind like him, and Jason realizes he's talking about him wrestling with being Greek or Roman. Jason is torn over leaving Camp Jupiter but feels like Camp Half-Blood is the right choice. Auster lets Jason use his venti as wind horses to take the Argo II to Leo if Jason can control them. The horses run around Jason switching from hot dry winds to stormy winds unable to choose between their Greek and Roman forms until Jason chooses to be Greek. They settle down and allow him to lasso them. Auster changes to his Greek form, Notus, and tells him to go to Malta and release the horses. When Jason’s choice between storm or fire comes again, Jason is to remember the lord of the South Winds. The doors open, and the horses bolt.

The Argo II crew stays below deck as Jason lashes the venti horses to the prow, guides them to Malta, and lets them go. Piper feeds Jason ambrosia while the others wait for word to come on deck. Jason has been worried about Piper since her encounter with Khione because she’s practiced sword fighting nonstop with Hazel and started carrying Zethe’s bronze sword on her back. Piper reassures him as Festus guides them to the dock. Jason spots a makeshift raft with a Celestial bronze rudder and knows Leo’s here.

They find Leo in a café, and Jason is shocked at his appearance since Leo is wearing the same clothes that burned months ago. Everyone is happy to see him, but Jason notices he seems different. Jason tries to get him to share what happened, but Leo doesn’t want to and asks about their adventures instead. Frank mentions Malta was where the sorceress Calypso lived, and Leo goes white and insists they get back to the ship. Jason is concerned about Leo but tells everyone to wrap it up. Hazel, Jason, and Nico see a streak of darkness shooting in the sky in the distance. It’s from the House of Hades where the Doors of Death work overtime to let Gaea’s forces into the mortal world. Leo has a few tricks up his sleeve to get them there before it’s too late.

Bob leads Percy and Annabeth through the monster army. Bob can see them through the Death Mist because they are friends. Percy spots a defeated foe and wonders how many of the enemies he’s defeated are waiting to go back to the mortal world. Percy feels hopeless for a minute until he looks at Annabeth and feels hope again. A voice calls Iapetus.

Koios, Titan of the North, greets Bob as Iapetus and teases him about getting his memory wiped and Hades using him as a janitor. Koios talks about the good old days of them holding down their father Ouranos while Kronos killed him. All the giants are back in the mortal world with Polybotes being the last one to go. After Koios leaves, Bob is unsettled about being reminded of the past. Percy tells Bob he can choose what to do with the future; he doesn’t have to be chained to his past. Bob leads them toward the Doors, and Percy realizes the Underworld rivers run through the heart. They come over a ridge and see the Doors of Death flanked by the Titans Hyperion and Krios, Bob’s older brothers. Annabeth asks if Bob can fight them, and he doesn’t answer.

The Death Mist continues to camouflage them as they walk close to the Doors of Death, which are held to the ground by chains guarded by Hyperion and Krios. The doors open, a group of monsters rush in, and Krios holds the button after the doors close. The Doors are meant to roam, with only Thanatos, the god of death, knowing the location, but the Titans chained them down so they can get back to the mortal world. When someone is in the elevator, another person must hold the button for 12 minutes or the rider will be trapped between worlds. If they cut the chains and press the button, the Doors will reset and disappear from Tartarus. Percy and Annabeth decide to cut the chains while Bob distracts the Titans. Bob volunteers to stay behind and push the button for them. Percy wants to stay behind and help Bob while Annabeth goes to safety. Annabeth is suspicious of Percy’s motives, so he distracts her with the chains.

Hyperion teases Iapetus about being Bob while Percy and Annabeth get in position. Bob remembers cutting up Ouranos as Hyperion says Bob was always conflicted about it. The elevator doors open, and monsters rush in. Percy counts down with Annabeth while Bob agrees to take guard duty. Krios and Hyperion argue about who gets a break. Percy and Annabeth raise their weapons, but an explosion throws them backward. When they stand, their Death Mist is gone, and Krios and Hyperion have disintegrated. Tartarus appears as his physical self and announces he will destroy Percy and Annabeth.