17Summary: Kronos has finally risen and is attacking Olympus with Luke as his vessel. Percy, Annabeth, Grover, and Thalia race against time to save their home. Meanwhile, somewhere on Earth forces previously believed to be faded are stirring, and a dark plan that will tip the scales of sanity will rise. Will Percy and his friends be able to fight against these forces? And what does our ever mischievous Mephisto Pheles have to do with this? Why does everyone suddenly start pointing crude fingers at Poseidon? And what does Kronos know what others don't? More importantly, why does Percy have a tail?
The bridge to Olympus was dissolving. Annabeth, Thalia, Grover, and I stepped out of the elevator of the Empire State Building that transported us to the six hundredth floor onto the white marble walkway, and immediately cracked at our feet.
"Jump!" Grover said, which was easy for him since he's part mountain goat.
He sprang to the next slab of stone while the others' slabs tilted sickeningly.
"Gods, I hate heights!" Thalia yelled as she and I leaped. But Annabeth was in no shape for jumping. She stumbled and yelled, "Percy!"
I caught her hand as the pavement fell, crumbling into dust. For a second I thought Annabeth was going to pull us both over. Her feet dangled in the open air. Her hand started to slip until he was holding her only by her fingers. Then Grover and Thalia grabbed my legs, and I found the extra strength to hoist her up. She was not going to fall.
I pulled her up and they lay trembling on the pavement, not even realizing they had their arms around each other until Annabeth suddenly tensed.
"Um, thanks," she muttered.
I tried to say 'Don't mention it', but it came out as, "Uh duh".
"Keep moving!" Grover tugged my shoulder. We untangled themselves and sprinted across the sky ridge as more stones disintegrated and fell into oblivion. We made it to the edge of the mountain just as the final section collapsed.
Annabeth looked back at the elevator, which was now completely out of reach – a polished set of metal doors hanging in space, attached to nothing, six hundred stories above Manhattan.
"Were marooned," she said. "On our own."
"Blah-ha-ha!" Grover said. "The connection between Olympus and America is dissolving. If it fails-"
"The gods won't move on to another country this time," Thalia said. "This will be the end of Olympus. The final end."
They ran through the streets. Mansions were burning. Statues had been hacked down. Trees in the parks were blasted to splinters. It looked like someone had attacked the city with a giant weed whacker.
"Kronos' scythe." I said, voice low.
We followed the winding path toward the palace of the gods. I didn't remember the road being so long. Maybe Kronos was making time go slower, or maybe it was just dread slowing him down. The whole mountaintop was in ruins – so many beautiful building and gardens gone.
A few minor gods and nature spirits had tried to stop Kronos. What remained of them was strewn about the road: shattered armor, ripped clothing, swords and spears broken in half.
Somewhere ahead of us, Kronos' voice roared: "Brick by brick! That was my promise. Tear it down BRICK BY BRICK!"
A white marble temple with a gold dome suddenly exploded. The dome shot up like a lid of a teapot and shattered into a billion pieces, raining rubble over the city.
"That was a shrine to Artemis," Thalia grumbled. "He'll pay for that."
We were running under the marble archway with the large statue of Zeus and Hera when the entire mountain groaned, rocking sideways like a boat in a storm.
"Look out!" Grover yelled. The archway crumbled. I looked up in time to see a twenty-ton scowling Hera topple over on us. Annabeth and I would've been flattened, but Thalia shoved us from behind and we landed just out of danger.
"Thalia!" Grover cried.
When the dust cleared and the mountain stopped rocking, we found her still alive, but her legs were pinned under the statue.
We tried desperately to move it, but it would've taken several Cyclopes. When we tried pulling Thalia out from under it, she yelled in pain.
"I survive all those battles," she growled, "and I get defeated by a stupid chunk of rock!"
"It's Hera," Annabeth said in outrage. "She's had it in for me all year. Her statue would've killed me if you hadn't pushed us away."
Thalia grimaced. "Well, don't just stand there! I'll be fine. Go!"
We didn't want to leave her, but I could hear Kronos laughing as he approached the hall of the gods. More buildings exploded.
"We'll be back," I promised.
"I'm not going anywhere," Thalia groaned.
A fireball erupted on the side of the mountain, right near the gates of the palace.
"We've got to run," I said.
"I don't suppose you mean away," Grover murmured hopefully.
I sprinted toward the palace, Annabeth right behind me.
"I was afraid of that," Grover sighed, and clip-clopped after us.
*line break*
The doors of the palace were big enough to steer a cruise ship through, but they'd been ripped off their hinges and smashed like they weighed nothing. We had to climb over a huge pile of broken stone and twisted metal to get inside.
Kronos stood in the middle of the throne room, his arms wide, staring at the starry ceiling as if taking it all in. His laughter echoed even louder than it had from the pit of Tartarus.
"Finally!" he bellowed. "The Olympian Council – so proud and mighty. Which seat of power shall I destroy first?"
Ethan Nakamura stood to one side, trying to stand out of the way of his master's scythe. The hearth was almost dead, just a few coals glowing deep in the ashes. Hestia was nowhere to be seen. Neither was Rachel. I hoped she was okay, but I'd seen so much destruction I was afraid to think about it. The Ophiataurus swam in his water sphere in the far corner of the room, wisely not making a sound, but it wouldn't be long before Kronos noticed him.
Annabeth, Grover, and I stepped forward in the torch light. Ethan saw us.
"My lord," He warned.
Kronos turned and smiled through Luke's face. Except for the golden eyes, he looked just the same as he had four years ago when he's welcomed me into the Hermes cabin. Annabeth made a painful sound in the back of her throat, like someone had just sucker punched her.
"Shall I destroy you first Jackson?" Kronos asked. "Is that the choice you will make – to fight me and die instead of bowing down? Prophesies never end well you know."
"Luke would fight with a sword," I said. "But I suppose you don't have his skill."
Kronos sneered. "He warned me about your tongue. You're known to have an itch for making your superiors angry." I wondered if he was talking about Luke, but deep in my gut, I had a feeling that he wasn't. I didn't linger on the topic any longer when Kronos' scythe began to change, until he held Luke's old weapon, Backbiter, with its half-Celestial bronze blade.
Next to me, Annabeth gasped like she'd suddenly had an idea. "Percy, the blade!" She unsheathed her knife. "The hero's soul, cursed blade shall reap."
I didn't understand why she was reminding me of that prophesy line right now. It wasn't exactly a morale booster, but before I could say anything, Kronos raised his sword.
"Wait!" Annabeth yelled.
Kronos came at me like a whirlwind.
My instincts took over. I dodged and slashed and rolled, but I felt like I was fighting a hundred swords men. Ethan ducked to one side, trying to get behind me until Annabeth intercepted him. They started to fight, but I couldn't focus on how she was doing. I was vaguely aware of Grover playing his reed pipes. The sound filled me with warmth and courage – thoughts of sunlight and blue sky and a calm meadow, somewhere far away from the war.
Kronos backed me up against the throne of Hephaestus – a huge mechanical Lay-Z-Boy type thing covered with bronze and silver gears. Kronos slashed, and I managed to jump straight up onto the seat. The throne whirred and hummed with secret mechanisms. 'Defense mode,' it warned. 'Defense mode.'
That couldn't be good. I jumped straight over Kronos' head as the throne shot tendrils of electricity in all directions. One hit Kronos in the face, arcing down his body and up his sword.
"ARG!" He crumpled to his knees and dropped Backbiter.
Annabeth saw her chance. She kicked Ethan out of the way and charged Kronos. "Luke, listen!"
I wanted to shout at her, to tell her she was crazy for trying to reason with Kronos, but there was no time. Kronos flicked his hand, sending Annabeth flying backward, slamming into the throne of her mother and crumpling to the floor.
"Annabeth!" I screamed. I felt something in me rapture and it gave off a tingling sensation before it went away, so I thought.
Ethan Nakamura got to his feet. He now stood between Annabeth and me. I couldn't fight him without turning my back on Kronos.
Grover's music took on a more urgent tune. He moved toward Annabeth, but he couldn't go any faster and keep up the song. Gras grew on the floor of the throne room. Tiny roots crept up between the cracks of the marble stones.
Kronos rose to one knee. His hair smoldered. His face was covered in electrical burns. He reached out for his sword, but this time it didn't fly into his hands.
"Nakamura!" he groaned. "Time to prove yourself. You know Jackson's secret weakness. Kill him, and you will have rewards beyond measure."
Ethan's eyes dropped to my midsection, and I was sure that he knew. Even if he couldn't kill me himself, all he had to do was tell Kronos. There was no way I could defend myself forever.
"Look around you, Ethan," I said. "The end of the world. Is this the reward you want? Do you really want everything destroyed – the good with the bad? Everything?"
Grover was almost to Annabeth now. The grass thickened on the floor. The roots were almost a foot long, like a stubble of whiskers.
"There is no throne for Nemesis," Ethan muttered. "No throne for my mother."
"That's right!" Kronos tried to get up, but stumbled. Above his left ear, a patch of blond hair still smoldered. "Strike them down! They deserve to suffer!"
"You said your mom is the goddess of balance," I reminded him. "The minor gods deserve better, Ethan, but total destruction isn't balance. Kronos doesn't build. He only destroys."
Ethan looked at the sizzling throne of Hephaestus. Grover's music kept playing, and Ethan swayed to it, as if the song filling him with nostalgia – a wish to see a beautiful day, to be anywhere but here. His good eye blinked.
Then he charged…but not at me.
While Kronos was still on his knees, Ethan brought down his sword on the Titan lord's neck. It should have killed him instantly, but the blade shattered. Ethan fell back, grasping his stomach. A shard of his own blade had ricocheted and pierced his armor.
Kronos rose unsteadily, towering over his servant. "Treason," he snarled.
Grover's music kept playing, and grass grew around Ethan's body. Ethan stared at me, his face tight with pain.
"Deserve better," he gasped. "If they just…had thrones-"
Kronos stomped his foot, and the floor ruptured around Ethan Nakamura. The son of Nemesis fell through a fissure that went straight through the heart of the mountain – straight into the air.
"So much for him," Kronos picked up his sword. "And now for the rest of you."
My only thought was to keep him away from Annabeth.
Grover was at her side now. He'd stopped playing and was feeding her ambrosia.
Everywhere Kronos stepped, the roots wrapped around his feet. Grover had stopped his magic too early. The roots weren't thick or strong enough to do much more than annoy the Titan.
We fought through the hearth, kicking up coals and sparks. Kronos slashed an armrest off of the throne of Ares, which was okay by me, but then he backed me up to my dad's throne.
"Oh, yes," Kronos said. "This one will make fine kindling for my new hearth!"
Our blades clashed in a shower of sparks. He was stronger than me, but for the moment I felt the power of the ocean in my arms. I pushed his back and struck again – sashing Riptide across his breastplate so hard I cut a gash in the Celestial bronze. He stamped his foot again and time slowed. I tried to attack but I was moving at the speed of a glacier. Kronos backed up leisurely, catching his breath. He examined the gash in his armor while I struggled forward, silently cursing him. He could take all the time-outs he wanted. He could freeze me in place at will. My only hope was that the effort was draining him. If I could wear him down…
"When he said you were strong, he wasn't bluffing, but you're weak in this body, my boy." Kronos said. He lifted his golden eyes to meet mine. A smirk slowly grew on his face. "I don't know why he had come to me in the first place, or what his intentions are, but they seem to be in my benefit." At this point Percy was more than confused. Kronos began to circle Percy, like a predator telling it's pray that there was no escape while said predator evaluated its next meal. "A fine boy you've grown up to be, Percy Jackson. Well, that's not even your name."
Kronos raised a hand and placed it gently on Percy's cheek. Percy would have tried biting it off if he hadn't been frozen in time. "Funny, I haven't seen your kin in eons. Kings and their subjects usually choose to reside in Gehenna. The Kings themselves are even more withdrawn from our affairs, but it seems that you were able to find your way here, little one." Percy didn't know what Gehenna was, nor did he know who these kings and subjects were. Last time he checked, America was a democratic-republic. There was no monarchy here other than the gods themselves.
"No matter, a deal is a deal." Now is when it started to get strange, Kronos stepped back. He held out his arm and a large, watery human heart the size of a soccer ball materialized two inches over his left hand. Percy felt that strange sensation return to him, but this time it was on a much stronger scale. Kronos grinned with malicious intent before shoving the heart into my chest cavity. It fazed right through with no problem. Kronos jumped back ten feet before dropping the time spell. I was finally able to move, but the moment I was going to charge at him, pain flared in my chest and body like I've never felt before.
I felt every cell in my body burn. I felt my bones form a new limb and my head grow horns like a water buffalo. I felt my fingernails extend to form talon-like claws and my canines sharpen. My ears were also becoming elf-like. I fell to my knees and shouted in pain, the agony being too much to bare, but I held on. I don't know why, but I held on. Maybe it was my self-preservation instincts taking in, or my need to keep everyone I care about safe from Kronos, but I held on to my consciousness.
I could faintly hear the Titan lord laughing in the background, and claiming how he had just "released the ultimate beast onto Olympus. A beast that even Typhon couldn't light a candle to!" but I wasn't listening.
A rumbling growl emerged from the back of my throat when the pain stopped, but whatever Kronos had done to me wasn't finished. I was suddenly throne back into memory lane, but I didn't remember ever having these memories.
There was a palace under water; far from Atlantis. A small kingdom that resided in the deepest waters of the Earth. In the palace, resided a man clad in teal colored armor, and a naginata. The naginata was completely black, with its blade being sleek on one side, and jagged on the other. On the flat of the blade, there was a golden sea serpent engraved onto the metal. The weapon was, in essence, beautiful in its cruelty.
The man that sat on a throne of bronze with the heads of deceased sea creatures mixed in here and there. He was clearly tall, almost towering at six feet. His black hair, like wispy shadows, floated in the water around his head and horns. The man's eyes were like raging maelstroms, blue and green like the sea in a storm. Skin like alabaster, it showed great contrast with his eyes and hair, but suited him well either way.
The large doors facing the man's throne was blown open, and in came a small horde of sea monsters that Percy recognized belonged to Greek mythology. He remembered seeing them when he went to Poseidon that one time Oceanus was attacking.
The man scowled at the intruders, and growled at one that swam closer, brandishing its sword with an arrogant air. "Who are you?"
The sea creature, who was clad in celestial bronze armor, looked like one of the telekines. "We are the army of the Titan Oceanus. He has deemed you unworthy of ruling the seas alongside him, Demon King of Water."
The demon's growls became feral before he grabbed his naginata and attacked the monsters.
The memory ended and shifted to another.
The demon was in an old, weathered cell. He wore bloody and tattered rags with his tail laying limp on the floor with patches of fur missing and the once smooth tail was now crusty and matted with blood. The demon's arms were chained to the wall parallel to the iron bars, and his head was limp against his chest. Around him was a circle filled with intricate runes and designs that glowed white in the darkness of the cell.
There was a boom followed by a cry of pain. The sound of yelling could be heard. The demon, startled awake when the sound of an avalanche came, gasped when the iron bars were blasted open by a strange green light.
A man in an Ancient Greek general's uniform burst in with someone the demon seemed to recognize. "Isamu…" the demon croaked.
Isamu – an octopus faced, blue skinned demon with a light hanging over his head like an anglerfish– ran forward when he heard the demon say his name. "Egyn-sama!" He ordered the other man to break the seal then grabbed at the now christened Egyn's chains and yanked hard, breaking them in an instant. "We must leave this instant! Oceanus' forces are being held off by Poseidon's armies."
Egyn's eyes were unfocussed as they began to walk towards the exit, his weight being supported by Isamu. "Poseidon…why is that annoying Sea God helping?"
The man that accompanied Isamu frowned at Egyn's question, clearly offended by his lord being called an annoyance. "It would seem that your people and Lord Poseidon had a common goal."
Egyn lazily turned his head towards the man. "Really? And who might you be?"
The man's back straightened as if he was going to announce something important. "I am Triton, first in line for my father's throne. Your forces and ours have joined together in hopes of defeating Oceanus. My father promised that he would do whatever it takes to help free you, only if your men agreed to fight with him."
Egyn grunted, and turned his head towards his most trusted general. "Let me guess, you made that decision."
Isamu grinned, "Why of course, Egyn-sama! I wasn't going to let you rot in a cell for the rest of eternity! The other Baal would have started their own war if it meant getting you back. Gehenna knows how much destruction would ensue if all seven of them joined forces."
Egyn chuckled, shaking his head. "Typical of you to take my place when I'm gone. If it were anyone else, I would have hung them by their necks with their intestines as a noose."
Triton shivered, the mental image slowly edging itself into his psyche. "Lovely, but I do believe we should get going." He said.
Isamu nodded, and addressed Egyn, "Can you walk?"
Egyn tried to take a few steps, but hissed as pain flared up in his left leg. "No, that seal has blocked my healing abilities. It will take time for them to come back."
"That is fine, I will have to carry you until we reach the escape point."
It was clearly a blow to Egyn's pride, but he nodded anyways. Isamu picked him up bridal style and ran through the exit of the dungeon, out of the building surrounded by trees a few miles from the beach shore, back into the ocean where Oceanus' kingdom resides, and through the crowded streets of Oceanus' kingdom towards the back of the castle. The trio had to evade fighting soldiers and the city guards. There were some instances where they were nearly found out, but they escaped nonetheless.
Currently, the two active men swam through the coral reef behind the palace. There, waiting at the exit was a light blue-skinned merman wearing armor similar to Triton's but not as extravagant beckoning them forward. "Come! Follow me! Hurry!"
They did so, following the merman until they reached a campsite hidden from the Titan's kingdom miles away. Triton told Isamu to enter a large tent that Egyn recognized as a medical tent. Triton directed Isamu to gently lay Egyn down on one of the cots in the more secluded area of the tent.
"There we go, safe and sound Egyn-sama," Isamu said with a soft smile as he sat on a pillow next to the cot.
"Oh, shut it, Isamu-kun," Egyn said as he gave his long time general and friend a half-hearted glare.
Isamu chuckled at the Demon King's antics, but frowned when he remembered he had to tell his King what happened to their kingdom. His playful aura switched to serious in an instant, "Egyn-sama," Egyn gazed at his general with a frown. Isamu usually wasn't very serious, and if he was, then it meant something bad had happened. "It pains me to say this to you right after you were freed, but the kingdom was left in ruins. Only a few hundred of your subjects survived the attack. Most of them consisting of Reapers, krakens, and a few middle-class demons."
Egyn let out a breath he didn't know he was holding in, and buried himself deeper into the cot. "I see, and the ones that were left are now fighting a battle that would most likely be their last."
Isamu remained silent, but there was a sadness in his eyes that confirmed Egyn's suspicions. "They were ready to fight any battle if it meant getting you back. I did not force them to fight, they were completely willing. Every last one of them."
"Very well, when this is over, we will have to rebuild the city. At least enough to provide homage to the ones that remain. I believe their efforts should be rewarded, don't you agree?" Egyn grinned a soft grin, showing the tips of his fangs.
"I agree completely, Egyn-sama," Isamu stood up. "Rest now, heal your wounds, the battle will be over soon."
Egyn's eyebrows furrowed, "Where are you going?"
"To speak with Triton. We were planning to call back your forces when we know they can take care of the rest."
This is where the memory ended, and I gasped once more when another appeared.
It was a few years after the war with Oceanus. Egyn and his subjects had worked to rebuild his kingdom with the assistance of Poseidon and his subjects as a thank you for their assistance in the Ocean Titan's defeat.
Currently, Egyn and Isamu were walking through the newly rebuilt city of Fukai machi – Egyn's favorite place to be whenever he wanted to take a break. The city was not as extravagant as its original, but it was beautiful nonetheless. The streets were tiled, and the buildings were different colors that lit up in the darkness of the Mariana Trench. Fish that used bioluminescence to survive gave the city a lively glow – even though the creatures were hideous in more ways than one; Egyn adored them anyways.
"…We also need to finish rebuilding the palace…Egyn-sama are you even listening?" The Baal of Water turned his head towards an annoyed Isamu.
"What?"
Isamu sighed, pinching the bridge of his nearly-nonexistent-nose as the two continued walking through the streets. "Never mind."
"Sorry, I zoned out for a bit." Egyn smiled sheepishly.
Isamu raised the place where his left eyebrow should be. "Leave it to the fifth Baal to zone out in the middle of an important update regarding the reconstruction of his kingdom." He joked.
"Oh, don't look at me like that, Isamu-kun, I was merely enjoying taking a stroll through the city. You should do the same."
"I will when you have a proper place to rest befitting a Demon King. The only place in your kingdom not repaired is your palace, and that is because you refuse to allow its construction until the rest of the city is done."
"Yes, and that is because I would rather my subjects be rewarded for their efforts when I failed them the first time. I will not rest in a comfortable bed until they have their own. As their King, it would be wrong for me to do otherwise." Egyn declared, back straight, and hands behind his back. His eyes held a challenging glare directed at his general, daring Isamu to protest.
The octopus-faced general grinned at his King, pride flooded his chest when he was reminded of why Egyn was regarded as the more caring of the Baal. Granted, he was just as cruel and twisted when he needed to be.
"Of course, Egyn-sama," Isamu bowed in respect to the demon before him. "I apologize if I offended you."
Egyn's eyes softened, and he placed his hand on his friend's shoulder beaconing him to stand tall once more. "You have not offended me, Isamu-kun, but remember that I will always hold my subjects first. I am not like my siblings, and I am nothing like my father. I will never treat my kin like the sand I walk on, and neither will I forget that they, too, live and breathe like we do."
Then the memories ended. I opened my eyes, feeling a rush of overwhelming power return to me after so long. I then felt a weight on my shoulder. Snapping my head to the left, I saw Kronos smiling wickedly with his hand on my shoulder.
"You alright there? You look pale grandson. Have you fallen ill?" There were no traces of true concern. Kronos was simply mocking me. Bastard.
I slapped Kronos' hand away, and grabbed Riptide, and stood up from my position on the floor. I took a second to glance towards Grover and Annabeth. Right now Grover was helping Annabeth stand, but the two were looking towards me with worry and curiosity.
I bared my fangs at Kronos, "Get away from me."
Kronos mocked being hurt by my words. He placed his hands over his heart and looked away dramatically. "Egyn, you wound me! I gave back to you what was rightfully yours and you treat me like scum?" He dropped the act and smiled coldly. "But I digress. Now that you are back, I can finally take over Olympus and send my children to their great-uncle."
I glared at him, "What makes you think I'm willing to help you? You are nothing but a thorn in my side. What makes you thing that I won't just get rid of you? I have that power, and you know it."
He laughed comically, "Oh, my dear boy, you are so clueless. I wouldn't have gifted you with the power you have now without knowing you would retaliate. Which is why I came up with the perfect plan!" His eyes slowly moved towards Grover and Annabeth.
I followed his train of vision and my growls became feral. "You wouldn't dare."
Kronos disappeared and reappeared a few feet away from them. He stomped his foot and the ground collapsed under Annabeth and Grover's feet, but they didn't fall. They seemed to be frozen in place. Kronos chuckled, "Oh yes I would, and if you want them alive, then you will do everything I say. Now, drop your weapon."
I cursed under my breath. This was planned. This was all planned. The statue, the battle, who was going to end up fighting Kronos, my memories, and my loved ones being in danger. Kronos was going to pay with his life. No one tricks me without their corpse torn to pieces!
I then chose this moment to lower myself to the ground and drop Riptide. I would need to look less threatening to allow Grover and Annabeth's chances of living seem better than they looked. I would not be the reason they died. Their deaths would be when they aged beyond the expected lifespans of demigods and nature spirits. In other words, not today.
Once I dropped Riptide, I raised my hands in surrender and kicked the sword in the Titan lord's direction. All done with a scowl on my face.
Kronos' smile was wicked, "Good, good. Now, sit and behold!" Kronos' laughing was evil. Much like my father's, just less insane. Kronos then pointed to the hearth, and the coals glowed. A sheet of white smoke poured from the fire, forming images like an Iris-message. I saw Nico and my parents…er…Sally and Paul down on Fifth Avenue, fighting a hopeless battle, ringed in enemies. In the background Hades fought from his black chariot, summoning wave after wave of zombies out of the ground, but the forces of the Titan's army seemed just as endless. Meanwhile, Manhattan was destroyed. Mortals, now fully awake were running around in terror. Cars swerved and crashed.
The scene shifted, and I saw something even more terrifying.
A column of smoke was approaching the Hudson River, moving rapidly over the Jersey shore. Chariots circled it, locked in combat with the creature in the cloud.
The gods attacked. Lightning flashed. Arrows of gold and silver streaked into the cloud like rocket tracers and exploded. Slowly, the cloud ripped apart, and I saw Typhon clearly for the first time.
I knew for as long as I lived, Typhon's visage would be forever ingrained in my head. It was a strange sight. Every moment he was a different monster, each more horrible and disgusting than the last. Looking at his face would have driven any human insane. His body was humanoid, but his skin reminded me of a meatloaf sandwich that had been in someone's locker all year. He was mottled green, with blisters the size of buildings, and blackened patches from eons of being stuck under a volcano. His hands were human, but with talons like an eagle's, and his legs were scaly and reptilian.
"The Olympians are giving their final effort." Kronos laughed. "How pathetic." And he was right, they did look pathetic.
Zeus threw his lightning bolt from his chariot. The blast lit up the world. I could feel the shock even from here on Olympus, but when the dust cleared, Typhon was still standing. He staggered a bit, with a smoking crate on top of his misshapen hand, but he roared in anger and kept advancing.
I saw Annabeth's limbs move slightly. Kronos didn't seem to notice. His attention was focused on the fight and his final victory. If I could hold out a few seconds more, and if Poseidon kept his word…
Typhon stepped into the Hudson River and barely sank to midcalf.
Now, I thought, imploring the image of the smoke. 'It has to happen now'
Like a miracle, a conch horn sounded from the smoky picture. The call of the ocean. The call of Poseidon.
All around Typhon, the Hudson River erupted, churning with forty-foot waves. Out of the water burst a new chariot – this one pulled by massive hippocampi, who swam in the air as easily as in water. The one who I believed was my father these past few years, glowing with a blue aura of power, rode a defiant circle around the giant's legs. Poseidon was no longer an old man. He looked like himself again – tan and strong with a black beard. As he swung his trident, the river responded, making a funnel cloud around the monster.
"No!" Kronos bellowed after a moment of stunned silence. "NO!"
"NOW MY BRETHREN!" Poseidon's voice was so loud I wasn't sure if I was hearing it from the smoke image or from all the way across town. "STRIKE FOR OLYMPUS!"
Warriors burst out of the river, riding the waves on huge sharks and dragons and sea horses. It was a legion of Cyclops, and leading them into battle was Tyson.
I stared on in amazement. He'd magically grown in size. He had to be thirty feet tall, as big as any of his older cousins, and for the first time he was wearing full battle armor. Riding behind him was Briares, the Hundred-Handed One.
All the Cyclopes held huge lengths of black iron chains – big enough to anchor a battleship – with grappling hooks at the ends. They swung them like lassos and began to ensnare Typhon, throwing lines around the creature's legs and arms, using the tide to keep circling, slowly tangling him. Typhon shook and roared and yanked at the chains, pulling some of the Cyclopes of their mounts; but there were too many chains. The sheer weight of the Cyclops battalion began to weigh Typhon down. Poseidon threw his trident and impaled the monster in the throat. Golden blood, immortal ichor, spewed from the wound, making a waterfall taller than a skyscraper. The trident flew back to Poseidon's hand.
The other gods struck with renewed force. Ares rode in and stabbed Typhon in the nose. Artemis shot the monster in the eye with a dozen silver arrows. Apollo shot a blazing volley of arrows and set the monster's loincloth on fire. And Zeus kept pounding the giant with lightning, until finally, slowly, the water rose, wrapping Typhon like a cocoon, and he began to sink under the weight of the chains (I made sure to boost the speed a little, helping Poseidon as directly as possible without drawing attention to myself). Typhon bellowed in agony, thrashing with such force that waves sloshed against the Jersey shore, soaking five-story buildings and splashing over the George Washington Bridge – but don he went as the sea god opened a special tunnel for him at the bottom of the river – an endless waterslide that would take him straight to Tartarus. The giant's head went under a seething whirlpool, and he was gone.
"BAH!" Kronos screamed. He appeared beside the hearth and slashed his sword through the smoke, tearing the image to shreds.
"They're on their way," I said, making sure to add a chuckle just to anger him further. "You've lost."
"I haven't even started."
He advanced with blinding speed towards Grover and Annabeth. Kronos snatched them away from the hole and landed a few feet behind it. He put his sword around the satyr's neck and a dagger around the demigod's – who were now free from the time spell. "Destroy the thrones," Kronos commanded.
I glared at him, baring my fangs menacingly. "No."
Kronos laughed, "Is that so?" he brought the sword closer to Grover's neck, drawing blood. It was just a scratch, but I saw red. How dare this insolent child command me to do his bidding? No demon in Gehenna would ever dare insult a Demon King by using their loved ones as leverage. Satan would have burned them to ashes for doing something so cowardly, laughing as they were slowly consumed by the cerulean flames of the Lord of Gehenna.
I crouched low, tail flapping from side to side dangerously. A low guttural growl escaped from my throat. My demonic instincts were taking over, wishing to see the blood in his body spill onto the marble, and hear his screams and begs to be left alone. I felt my pupils slit, and my teeth and claws get sharper. My friends' fearful eyes only enhanced my rage. They should not be scared. Grover should be chewing a can of soda while on a date with Juniper, and Annabeth should be in camp with the rest of the demigods enjoying the summer. Not with death at their doorstep. The scent of urine and blood reached my senses, and I would have lost it if Grover and Annabeth weren't still capable of dying any second now.
Kronos seemed to realize this. His expression of amusement became manic glee as he came to the realization that I wasn't going to do anything more than threaten his sickening life. "Are you done? Goodness Egyn, you're such a riot. You even made the satyr piss himself, and the girl is now frozen in fear. The poor things." Kronos sniffed, and grimaced at the scent, but didn't dare let go of Grover. He knew better than to lose his trump cards.
"Let them go, boy," I spat boy like it was the most disgraceful thing in the universe.
"If I did that, then you wouldn't listen anymore."
"I wasn't going to listen to a coward who hides behind his minions, and uses prey as leverage. They are simply food for my kin," My voice changed, becoming more animalistic and deep. "I will not lower myself to listen to someone so weak minded. Only a coward would use such a foolish tactic while a real warrior fights to the death."
Kronos shouted. In his rage, he didn't think about killing Grover and Annabeth on the spot – which I mentally thanked every god and goddess for – choosing more to launch them across the room into separate thrones, thankfully knocking them unconscious.
Kronos' advance was quick, but my senses were quicker. When his sword was inches away from my neck, I jumped away, making a small crater appear in the marble. While in midair, I maneuvered myself like a professional gymnast and landed back on my feet in a crouch. I launched towards him with speeds he didn't expect me to reach and slashed at him. Of course, he was able to break out of his moment of surprise and dodge half a second before I could gauge his eyes out with my nails. Which was unfortunate because I wanted to see them gone. They were not Luke's, and it was insulting to see them on the young son of Hermes' face. Even though the boy was a traitor to Olympus, and by extension me, he had a reasonable enough reason to resent his family. Of course, he didn't take into consideration that Kronos would do nothing good. Because of this, I kind of don't hate him as much as I already do. After all, I can kind of relate.
We exchanged blows. Neither of us hitting the other, but I couldn't say the same for the throne room itself. The walls and floor were cracked and small craters appeared here and there. The thrones were also slightly damaged, but I tried my best to stay away from them as much as possible. But it seemed that Kronos and I have made a silent agreement – Ares' throne was the exception. The war god's throne of human skin and weapons was littered in scratches and the left armrest was gone.
The battle escalated to the point that I had redrawn Riptide and began using my awesome sword skills on the Titan. I made a little game in my head. It was called, "How Many Hits can the Achilles Curse Take before It Can No Longer Support the Damage?" So far, I had been unsuccessful at breaching his flesh, but the same could not be said for his armor. The once well suited Celestial bronze armor was now cut into ribbons. My claws had torn the metal like wet paper, and Riptide had cut through one of Kronos' shoulder straps, making the breast plate hang awkwardly on his chest.
We were so caught up in our little battle that we didn't notice the Olympians bursting through the doors of the throne room in all their godly glory. If I had noticed their entrance, I would have seen the looks of complete awe and horror on each of their faces. Poor, poor Ares looked like he was going to punch someone at the sight of his throne.
Kronos and I continued fighting, destroying the throne room further before we were suddenly teleported outside of the Empire State Building. Kronos and I noticed the change in scenery and stopped for a moment to realize that we were no longer in the throne room.
I believe it was obvious that he was angry because he began yelling at the gods for interfering with his plans.
Well, tuff cookie. We're not done yet.
I slashed my claws at his side with enough force to make him fly and crash against another building. The building then collapsed on itself, burying the Titan within – serves him right for "forgetting" that we were still in combat. How rude!
It didn't take him long to push some of the debris off and escape, but I took that opportunity to attack him again. He had just unearthed himself from the building's remains when I appeared in front of him, grabbed him by the back of the head, and smashed his face into the paved ground. I repeated the process of lifting and smashing a couple of times before deciding to pull a Hulk. I threw him up, grabbed him by the ankles before he could go any higher, and began to repeatedly smash his upper body into the street. The force of each impact made indentions in the ground. After that, I threw him up thirty or so feet in the air, jumped up high enough to be above him, then then used the laws of gravity against him by kicking him with my heel hard against his exposed chest.
You know what they say: What goes up must come down. And come down he did. Of course, faster than any normal person would when falling. And with much more force.
Apparently, I like making craters. Especially the ones I make by using Kronos as a combat dummy. Oh, those are my favorite.
I made more, and more, and more! Oh what fun! Is this what Amaimon was always rambling about? Oh, when we see each other again I'll make sure to tell him! We'll have so much fun. I can already imagine it! We'll even have a competition on who can make more craters using the bodies of others! Oh, what a great idea!
"Percy!"
What was that? Does someone want to make craters with me?
"Perseus stop!"
Apparently not… What a pity, we would have had so much fun.
"Percy! Stop! That's enough! You're destroying the city!"
Percy? Who's Percy? I'm Egyn. Maybe they need my help to stop this Percy from destroying the city? I won't be able to make any proper craters if the city is gone.
I was just about to beat Kronos' face into the ground when I felt someone come up from behind me and wrap their arms around my chest. I heard the sound of crying. Then there was a wetness on the back of my shirt. Who dared to disturb my game?
"Percy! Stop, please!"
I know that voice, but from where? Is it Kronos? No, his is not as annoying. And he shouldn't be able to speak after I completely dislocated his jaw. Then who is it? Goodness, this is frustrating!
"Percy, stop! This isn't you!"
This isn't me? Well, I beg to differ, young lady! This is me! I've always been like this…right?
This is when I began to doubt myself. How strange, I've never doubted myself before. The only times I've ever felt like I was wrong was when…Beckendorf…died…The dip in the Styx…rallying the demigods to save Olympus…
I suddenly snapped back into reality. My rage induced insanity was stopped, and I had finally realized what I was doing. Oh gods…
Whatever was left of New York near the Empire State Building was in complete ruins. Apartments, shops, other buildings, they were all just rubble now. There were craters everywhere ranging from large and small. The Empire State Building itself had a large hole in one of the walls, and Kronos was a foot in the ground under me. There were cuts and bruises, and there were cable wires littered around us, dangerously close to piddles of dirty water.
I slowly turned my head to look at Annabeth. She was clutching on to me for dear life while crying into my shirt. My tail was only a centimeter away from being squashed under her leg, but I didn't dare move it.
We were by a cable, and we were also conveniently on a puddle. Crap.
"Annabeth," I whispered.
She heard me, and immediately lifted her head up to look at me. Her grey eyes were bloodshot, and her hair was a mess. There were brown streaks in her hair from dried blood and dirt, and her armor was loose as it hanged from her right shoulder. She had small amounts of fear and worry in her stormy eyes, and that hurt me. That's right, me, Egyn, Demon King of Water, Fifth of the Baal, was hurt that a girl was scared of me.
"Annabeth, I'm sorry…" I croaked. I must have been laughing while a beat Kronos to a pulp because my throat was dry and my voice was hoarse. I lifted my hand and reached for her cheek, but she shook her head and backed away. This hurt me even more. I took notice of the others. The Olympians and their children that were nearby were standing away from me with looks of fear and mistrust.
Poseidon looked like he finally realized something. His eyes widened to saucers and he took a step back in surprise. "Egyn?" My eyes snapped to him and I gave him a small smile. He beamed in elation but frowned in confusion. Must be because I was in his "son's" body.
There was a groan. I turned back to see Kronos open his eyes through Luke. When he realized that I was there, his eyes flashed with fear before changing to hatred which then changed into excitement when Luke's body began to glow golden. He laughed, and kicked me off of him before I could dodge. I landed on my feet five feet in front of Hera. Kronos laughed even harder as he stood up. "Yes! YES! BEHOLD MY TRUE FORM!" The gods used their split second thinking to teleport the demigods away before Luke's body burst with light, obliterating every last bit of the son of Hermes' body. Kronos' laughs became deeper and held a more ancient baritone. "BOW BEFORE MY TRUE POWER, DEMON KING!" I had to look away for a moment because of the light's sheer brilliance. It was too bright. I only know one person who would be able to make something so bright, and the blond Demon King was not here.
I could withstand the light because of my eldest brother, but it still hurt to look at. I was just about to attack when a very annoying, very familiar voice greeted us. "Guten Tag, meine Damen und Herren!" I looked up in the sky to see Samael in all his clowney glory floating down while clutching his pink umbrella-bat. The dark purple haired demon was wearing an elegant white outfit that consists of a white top hat with pink and purple around the base, purple gloves, a tie that is pink with white dots, a white suit-shirt and undershirt, jester-style pants, and pointed shoes. "Oh, my. It is awfully bright outside." He turned towards me with his hand hovering over his eyes and beamed. "Otouto! You're back!" He swung his umbrella in circles as he casually sauntered his way towards me with a smile on his face. "Were have you been for the past sixteen years? Our father and brothers have been worried sick!"
My hand was over my eyes with my head slightly turned as I tried to look at Samael's approaching silhouette. "I highly doubt the old sot even noticed I was gone."
Samael whacked my head with the umbrella right behind my horns, "Nonsense! He missed you. Amaimon wouldn't stop complaining about father's sulking."
I clutched the back of my head. My face scrunched up in pain at the force used to whack me. I was fortunate enough to not go face first into the dirt and pavement. "Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch!" I would have growled at my brother, but he crouched right next to me and pat my head with a small, genuine smile. His green droopy eyes, were filled with relief.
"It's good to have you back, Nii-san."
I grumbled at him for being so annoying but smiled anyways. "Missed you too, Aniki." But the moment was broken when Kronos chose this time to be when he yelled at us.
"Why are you here?" he yelled. "Don't interrupt!"
Samael glared at the glowing Titan. Kronos was no longer in Luke's body, but he had his own. He was a tall male towering at about eight feet with jet black hair and golden highlights. His eyes were pure 12 karat gold filled with malice while his skin was tanned – being illuminated by his divine form. He was wearing a white chiton with golden armor for his chest, knees, and arms. Backbiter was also in its scythe form again. "Silence! The deal was you return my brother unharmed and immediately after his memories were returned. You only completed one-thirds of the deal, so I have every right to intervene."
Kronos growled, glaring at Samael with visible hatred. "You will regret this!"
"No, you, on the other hand, will have wished you completed the deal without interruption you cheap knock off of a time lord." Sam stood back up and raised his umbrella, waving it around in circles above him while counting to three in German. A giant flaming pentacle appeared in the air creating lightning as it hovers. Samael stopped waving his umbrella and the pentacle zoomed over to Kronos until it was hovering directly over him. Samael smiled wickedly. "This pentacle will be your demise, Titan. Enjoy your voyage in a never ending loop through time and space!" He waved goodbye to Kronos before the pentacle shot a beam of flames at Kronos.
Kronos yelled in agony as his essence was burned away and his golden dust forever in stasis throughout the universe.
Samael dusted his hands and plopped himself onto the ground next to me, smiling in good nature. "So, Nii-san, how have you been?"