Family
Pain arched through every part of Percy’s body. It was blinding, agonizing, and he wanted nothing more than for it all to just end. for the pain to end. for everything to just end. Below him battle burned across the streets of Manhattan. The Titan army was advancing like an unstoppable tide, Atlas led the charge across Madison Square Garden, forcing the hunters back despite Zoe’s desperate defence. Oceanus rose from the Hudson River, smashing aside the Lincoln tunnel and flooding the streets, sending demigods running for cover. Central Park burned as an army of traitor demigods marched forward carrying the purple banner of Kronos, forcing Clarisse and the Ares demigods back. The fucking statues of the city had come alive and were attacking them.
Annabeth’s strategy was impeccable; like so many times during this war, she’d outmanoeuvred them from the start.
He couldn’t give up not now. He reached out pulling himself forward across the broken floor of the throne room. Pain arched itself through his mind, and white spots filled his vision. He pushed forward, one more, one more, one more. He stretched out his arm, his hand just barely grasping riptides hilt. Suddenly his arm burned with agony. He looked up and found a boot crushing his hand.
"Oh Percy, don’t waste your strength on a lost cause." The voice wasn’t angry, it wasn’t triumphant, or arrogant or cruel, it almost sounded concerned. What a sick joke.
Above him Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena, architect of the second Titanomachy idly twirled her scythe. She was ghostly pale, her blonde hair, once so vibrant, was now entirely white. Her eyes, once so stormy, were now flecked with golden light as she stared down at the carnage below. Percy stared into those golden pools, looking for any sign of recognition, any sign of the girl who had once taught him how to hold a sword had once laughed with him was still in there somewhere.
"Annabeth, please, those are your friends! Your family!"
The golden eyes flickered slightly, like television static on a stormy day. When she spoke again it was warped, her soft voice interlaced with the resonant tone of the Titan lord "There’s no going back, I-I’ve come to far to turn back now" she turned to look down at him her face twisted in a snarl "And my family is dead, thanks to the 𝘖𝘭𝘺𝘮𝘱𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘴"
She reached down picking up riptide Percy tried to hold on, but his strength was gone. The Drakon toxins in his blood had ripped away any power he had left. Annabeth walked calmly over to the thrones of the gods. She stopped in front of Athena’s Her eyes were sharp and focused. She held out her hand, and the smell of ozone filled the room. Percy shielded his eyes as the master bolt materialised before them, crackling with energy. The master bolt, the first symbol of the gods to be taken. Percy knew it all too well, it was the weapon that had destroyed Atlantis, the weapon that had freed Atlas, the weapon that he and Luke had failed to retrieve on their first quest.
Lighting danced across Annabeth’s arm in a way that would have vaporised any normal person. But Annabeth was protected by the curse of Achilles. She smiled
"Well, lets get started then"
𝘽𝘼𝙉𝙂
The temple of Athena exploded, showering the throne room with rubble. Lightning arced its way through the sky, smashing apart a statue of the goddess. Annabeth was laughing now, a crazed, desperate laugh.
𝘽𝘼𝙉𝙂
The temple to Hermes exploded next. The grand statue of the messenger god was sent flying over the edge of the mountain, crashing down to the city below.
Suddenly, the elevator behind them dinged. And a figure rushed out. Luke! He was limping slightly, and backbiter was smeared with blood, both monster and mortal.
"Annabeth!"
She turned to look at him, her golden eyes flickering violently: "𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘰𝘳!" the master bolt transformed into a sleek gleaming dagger as she attacked. Luke just barely ducked under her strike. Backbiter coming up to meet her blade. The two blades crossed, sending lightning and celestial power flying.
"Annabeth 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦"
The girl looked up, her grey eyes entirely consumed by gold "𝘼𝙣𝙣𝙖𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙝 𝙞𝙨 𝙜𝙤𝙣𝙚!" she struck out landing a kick on Luke forcing him back.
Percy tried to reach out, but the Drakon toxins had already begun paralysing him. He would be dead in minutes.
Luke recovered quickly going on the attack. Annabeth charged to meet him, and their blades met in a fury of movement. They were the best fighters in the Greek world, and they were moving at speeds Percy had never seen, both of them refusing to give an inch. Blood was beginning to drip from Annabeth’s nose.
Luke got the upper hand, slicing down the length of Annabeth’s chest. A move that would have killed a normal demigod, but Percy watched in horror as the skin merely resealed itself. Even though Annabeth only smiled at Luke’s attack for a split second her cut had been open, a red gash down her chest horrified Luke and he took a step back- Luke still saw her as his little sister- he wouldn’t hurt her.
Kronos had no such problems. Annabeth leapt forward, slicing two deep cuts just below Luke’s ribs, he stumbled backwards, just barely raising backbiter in time to stop another blow. Luke was the best sword fighter alive, but even he was no match for a Titan.
Kronos struck again. Annabeth caught backbiter at an angle and struck at the hilt knocking it from Luke’s grip. The sword flew over the edge of the mountain, tumbling into the night.
Luke just smiled a sad smile "Nice move Annie"
Kronos frowned "𝙄𝙩𝙨 𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙃𝙚𝙧𝙢𝙚𝙨, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙞𝙜𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙊𝙡𝙮𝙢𝙥𝙪𝙨 𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙩𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩!"
Luke chuckled, and blood began to bubble out of his mouth. "Not just yet, Annie, not just yet" he reached into a pouch and brought out a small celestial bronze dagger.
"𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚?" cackled Kronos, his golden eyes shone in the darkness of the night.
Luke smiled softly "Annie knows" he held the dagger up high
Kronos took a step back, a small gasp escaping from his mouth. His eyes flickering violently. The master bolt fell from his hand, clattering to the ground.
"Family, you remember, don’t you?"
Annabeth shuddered, painfully clamping her eyes shut. "My family is 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥! My mother killed them!" Blood was pouring down her face, and she looked like she might fall.
"I’m here, Annabeth, just like I promised."
Annabeth shuddered again her eyes opened- 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘺 "No, they always leave, always"
Luke smiled again He was barely standing as blood dripped from his wounds. "I would never leave you, Annie, never."
Annabeth shook violently golden light began to leak from her body.
"𝙉𝙊"
She grabbed her head.
"No!"
The golden light intensified.
"𝙉𝙊"
Annabeth’s eyes shot open; the gold was gone completely. Her back arched, and a shadow began to pour from her body. It darted forward, and she slumped to the ground like a marionette with its strings cut.
The shadow darted towards Luke. He couldn’t have moved even if he had tried. He fell to the ground. When he opened his eyes, one of them was gold the other his usual sky blue.
"Luke" Annabeth looked at him, her grey eyes filled with tears.
"Its ok, Annie, it's ok." Luke picked up the dagger with a shaking hand.
"Luke no!"
"Its ok Annie, don’t worry" and he drove the blade into his own arm. Annabeth screamed as he collapsed.
It was over…