ｔｈｅ ｌａｓｔ ｏｌｙｍｐｉａｎ

THE BRIDGE TO OLYMPUS WAS DISSOLVING. When Lucia stepped out of the elevator onto the white marble walkway cracks started to appear at her feet.

Thankfully they weren't up to the point of breaking and they were able to make an easy path to the palace. But dread filled Lucia at the thought of it falling before her friends could make it. She didn't know if she could defeat him without them...but she sure as hades was going to try if necessary.

"What is this," Lucia asked, little by little Olympus chipped apart around her. The sky fading away.

Kronos grinned. "The connection between Olympus and America is dissolving. The gods won't move on to another country this time, This will be the end of Olympus. The final end."

She grinned, but her heart fell to her stomach at the thought. "Perfect.."

Kronos walked and swung his scythe. Mansions began to burn. Statues were hacked down. Trees in the parks were blasted to splinters. He kept attacking the city, making sure it fell to ruins.

"Golden girl." Ethan whispered, "Are you okay?"

She blinked but her gaze didn't leave the fires that raged on. "I'm fine. Why are you asking? Because of your precious plan?"

His face fell. "I—"

"Tried to warn me?" Lucia remained emotionless, "Well it doesn't matter. Your plan worked." She finally turned to look at him, "You should be proud of yourself E. You have your girlfriend back..."

Lucia kept walking. The whole mountaintop was in ruins—so many beautiful buildings 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.

Lucia fought so hard not to get involved. Guilt ate her alive but she knew, she knew the only way Kronos could be defeated is if she were patient.

Kronos's 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 the lid of a teapot and shattered into a billion pieces, raining rubble over the city.

Lucia tried to remain stoic, I'm sorry Aunt Artemis.

'That was a shrine to Artemis,' Thalia grumbled. She could hear her old friends approaching now. If she could, she would have sighed in relief. 'He'll pay for that.'

'Look out!' Grover yelped. Lucia heard the cracking of marble, and the loud thud of something collapsing.

'Thalia!' Grover cried.

Lucia stopped in her tracks.

Kronos turned to look at her. His eyes peered into Lucia's and she focused on keeping her heart steady and her face blank.

"Are you alright dearie?" His voice was painful to Lucia's ears. Like the scraping of metal against more metal. It held an edge, ready to pierce through her with his suspicions.

She nodded with confidence, "Yes my lord, My apologies I heard something."

"And what was it?"

"Just the sound of rubble," She grinned. "Nothing to worry about."

He nodded, "Good Work, Apollonione. You've always been my most component helper."

'Well, don't just stand there! I'll be fine. Go!'

Thalia is okay.

"It is my pleasure to serve you, My lord."

He seemed to like that. He continued forward. Lucia ignored Ethan's pained look. Part of her wanted to comfort him, the part in her heart that he still occupied. The other part of her heart knew she needed a shield before more scars were inflicted on it.

Kronos laughed as he approached the hall of the gods. More buildings exploded.

A fireball erupted on the side of the mountain, right near the gates of the palace.

They need to hurry

The doors of the palace were big enough to steer a cruise ship through, but Kronos blasted them down, ripping them off their hinges and smashing them like they weighed nothing.

Kronos made his way to the middle of the throne room, his arms wide, staring at the starry ceiling as if taking it all in. His laughter echoed louder, so loud it hurt Lucia's ears.

"Finally!" he bellowed. "The Olympian Council—so proud and mighty. Which seat of power shall I destroy first?"

"My lord..." Lucia knew she had to kill time, Percy, Grover, and Annabeth were close. She couldn't let him begin without them. The prophecy rang in her mind, and the selfish part of her hoped Percy would fail to make it, but she learned a long time ago that the fates were immovable and cruel... "May I?"

His head snapped towards her, his eyes blazed with power. Ethan stood several feet away. Only Lucia dared to be so close to his scythe. "May you what?"

"Help you?" She smiled, She raised her hands. From her wrists up to her fingertips, her skin glowed with a golden light.

The hearth was almost dead, just a few coals glowing deep in the ashes. Hestia was nowhere to be seen. The Ophiotaurus swam in his water sphere in the far corner of the room, wisely not making a sound, Lucia avoided looking at Bessie but it wouldn't be long before Kronos noticed him.

Annabeth, Grover, and Percy stepped forward into Lucia's light. Ethan saw them first.

"My lord," he warned.

Kronos turned and smiled through Luke's face.

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? Prophecies never end well, you know."

"Luke would fight with a sword," Percy said. "But I suppose you don't have his skill."

Kronos sneered. His scythe began to change, until he held Luke's old weapon, Backbiter, with its half-steel, half-Celestial bronze blade.

Annabeth gasped like she'd suddenly had an idea.

'Percy, the blade!' She unsheathed her knife. 'The hero's soul, cursed blade shall reap.'

Kronos raised his sword.

"Wait!" Lucia couldn't stop the scream that escaped her.

Because you're like light. You make the dark, bright.

She tried to recover quickly. "Let me—"

"Down Apollonione, You will have your chance dearie."

Kronos came at Percy like a whirlwind.

His instincts took over. Percy dodged and slashed and rolled, but it looked like he was tiring out quick. Ethan ducked to one side, trying to get behind Percy until Annabeth intercepted him. They started to fight and Lucia bounded to them but stopped at the sound of music.

Grover played his reed pipes and he faced her.

She gasped, The sound filled Lucia with warmth and courage—thoughts of sunlight and a blue ocean and s'mores near a campfire, somewhere far away from the war. Somewhere that felt like home.

Kronos backed Percy up against the throne of Hephaestus—a huge mechanical La-Z-Boy-type thing covered with bronze and silver gears. Kronos slashed, and Percy managed to jump straight up onto the seat. The throne whirred and hummed with secret mechanisms. Defense mode, it warned. Defense mode.

He jumped straight over Kronos's 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!"

Lucia charged forward. She needed her away from him. She wanted to shout at her, to tell her she was crazy for trying to reason with Kronos, but she couldn't yet. Kronos flicked his hand before Lucia could reach them. Annabeth flew backward, slamming into the throne of her mother and crumpling to the floor.

Beth...

"Annabeth!" Percy screamed.

Ethan got to his feet. He now stood between Annabeth and Percy. Percy couldn't fight him without turning his 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. Grass grew on the floor of the throne room. Tiny roots crept up between the cracks of the marble stones.

Lucia stopped beside Ethan. Percy was now surrounded by the three of them. There was nowhere for him to go, nothing for him to do. He had the complete disadvantage...at least that's what she wanted them to believe.

Kronos rose to one knee. His hair smoldered. His face was covered with electrical burns. He reached for his sword, but this time it didn't fly into his hands.

"Apollonione!" he groaned. "Time to prove yourself. You know Jackson's secret weakness. Kill him, and you will have rewards beyond measure."

Her violet eyes found Percy's green ones.

He watched her carefully, his gaze heavy and filled with longing. "Luz...You don't want this..."

Ethan scowled, "Golden girl, Remember your training.."

Grover was almost to Annabeth now. The grass thickened on the floor. The roots were almost a foot long, like a stubble of whiskers.

Lucia moved forward and swung her dagger as Percy blocked. He defended himself with the blunt end and tried to not use offense, She attacked but never let herself get in an actual hit. It was a show, And Lucia was the star.

Lucia finally gained the upper hand as she grabbed Percy by the back of his neck, squeezing at his pressure point she forced him down onto his knees, his back facing her. He didn't make any moves to stop her. He groaned as if it pained him.

Kronos cackled, "YES, YES,"

She flicked out her bow, "You were an idiot to trust me."

'Lucy' Annabeth groaned. 'Lucy don't...'

"Lu!" Grover cried,

Lucia notched an arrow and pulled back, she aimed it at Percy's back. "An idiot to think that I would ever let you hurt the people I love. Let you hurt me. And get away with it...."

Ethan cried "My Lord! Watch out!"

Suddenly, she raised her arm to eye level and released the arrow. It zoomed over Percy and knocked into Kronos as he stumbled onto both knees. The arrow couldn't pierce him, instead, it shattered, but as it broke into small pieces it let out a blinding light and a piercing whistle note. It was enough to temporarily take away Kronos' senses of sight and hearing.

"ARGHH!" He raged, he stayed kneeled to the ground "CURSE YOU APOLLONIONE!"

Percy immediately shot up from the ground. He whisked around to look at her with the widest grin she'd ever seen come from him. "I knew it," he said breathlessly.

"You're such a bobo." She mirrored his smile, "I could have killed you Kelphead."

He planted a kiss on her cheek. "If I can't trust you, Luz, I can't trust anyone."

"Watch out!" He screamed before she could even process his action. She spun and reflexively kicked Ethan in the chest, He staggered backward, his blade in hand ready to pierce through flesh once again. He swung and she blocked Ethan's blade with her bow.

Lucia yelled "Ethan! Stop! I'm sorry!"

"Lucia, get out of my way!"

He began to swing his knife, Lucia parried quickly, reflexively. Ethan cut from the other side, and Lucia again parried. They moved, back and forth. Ethan kept throwing underhanded cuts. Lucia groaned as she felt the dagger cut her stomach. She backed away, trying to keep distance between the two boys.

"Look around you, E!," Lucia begged. "The end of the world! Is this the reward you want? Do you really want everything destroyed—the good with the bad? Everything?"

"There is no throne to Nemesis," Ethan muttered. "No throne to my mother."

"That's right!" Kronos tried to get up, but stumbled. He rubbed his eyes. Above his left ear, a patch of blond hair still smoldered. "Strike them all down! They all deserve to suffer."

"You said your mom is the goddess of balance," Lucia reminded him. "The minor gods deserve better, Ethan, but total destruction isn't balance. Kronos doesn't build. He only destroys. You know that E, You know it because you've seen it."

"Don't listen to the words of a deceitful woman!" Kronos yelled, "She betrayed you! She lied to you! She deserves to perish! Kill her for her treachery!"

"If you expected something from me I couldn't give you, that's not my fault!." She snapped, but her tone softened. "I'm sorry...but I've always cared about you...I just wish we could have met before you were taught that life was war... But it's not too late. That's why I'm asking you, I'm begging you once again to open your eyes and see that this isn't the way... I know you're better than all of this E...I know what you went through...I know it hurts but...there are other ways to make the pain go away. And I promise I'll be with you...as your friend."

Ethan looked at the sizzling throne of Hephaestus. Grover's music kept playing, and Ethan swayed to it, as if the song were 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 Lucia.

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.

"NO!" Lucia cried, She ran to him as the palace shook with her voice.

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 Lucia, 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.

"Luz! Back up!"

Lucia grabbed Ethan's hand with her arm before he could fall through the fissure, unfortunately, it ended up being her injured one. It went straight through the heart of the mountain straight to the open air. She held onto him for dear life but the aching pain in her arm ricocheted through her once again. She was losing edge, her boots squeaked against the marble floor, she was slipping away with him.

"No." She refused, she tried to pull him up but she couldn't move without falling straight down. Her wound started bleeding. She felt like her arm was being torn apart from her body. "I won't lose you! I don't want to lose you!"

A tear fell down Ethan's cheek. He smiled "Let go, Golden girl. I'm not the boy to fall for."

"No No." She cried a familiar feeling clawing up her throat. She knew it wouldn't be long before the inevitable happened. "This isn't fair... You deserve better. E I can't-."

"I'm sorry for everything." He whispered, "I'm sorry for letting him hurt you..."

She was losing grip, she felt him slipping. Her arm seared. Pure adrenaline was all that kept her from letting him go. "Ethan!"

"You love me..?" He asked, his face was pale. The poison in his wound was killing him quickly. Lucia wanted to just pull him up and heal him, but she felt her own weakened body fighting against something as well.

She nodded, a sob escaped her chapped lips. "I do."

just not the way you do...

He smiled wide, "You can change the world Golden girl. I'd never bet against you."

Before Lucia could respond, Ethan let go of her hand. She screamed, and tried to reach for him once again but he plummeted before she got the chance to memorize his touch for the last time.

Lucia squeezed her eyes shut, she felt her own body follow. Roots grabbed her by the ankles just as her upper body made it through the fissure and was about to free fall. They coiled themselves around her ankles pulling her back onto solid ground.

Grover was at Annabeth's side now. He'd stopped playing once Lucia was safe and was feeding the blonde ambrosia.

Everywhere Kronos stepped, the roots wrapped around his feet, but Grover had stopped his magic too early. He'd focused on saving Lucia so the roots weren't thick or strong enough to do much more than annoy the Titan.

"Curse you, satyr, here I thought I'd kill two traitorous birds with one stone." Kronos picked up his sword. "But no problem, I'll deal with the girl now."

Lucia screeched before the sword could fall down on her. She pushed her hands forward and Kronos flew back, he slammed against Zeus' throne, the marble armrest crumbled off into rubble. "I HATE YOU!"

Kronos clapped as he got to his feet. "Such promising talent, So much ferocity, and passion. A shame you let yourself be weakened by silly things. I could have made you a legend. A WARRIOR THAT COULD BRING THE GREATEST TO THEIR KNEES."

"I already brought you to your knees." Lucia laughed, tears spilling down her cheeks from the hole in her heart Ethan once occupied. "You say you're so strong and powerful." She advanced towards him, "But you're just a vile ancient creature out of his prime. who needs vulnerable children to do his bidding. You're a joke. A pathetic joke that wouldn't have made it this far without Luke. Who I know fights inside you." She laughed harder, taunting him. "Tell me Kronos, If you're so invincible then why can't you even keep your minions under control? You think you're a real threat? you think you're the shit? Then why are the gods out there fighting Typhon? And you're what? Fighting sophomores..."

"SILENCE!" He raged, "Ungrateful child! You know nothing! You will feel my power! YOU WILL KNOW WHY I'M CALLED THE CROOKED ONE. I have granted you the abilities you use on me! I HAVE MADE YOU WHO YOU ARE."

"YOU'VE DONE NOTHING." She screamed back and she was surprised to see him actually wince. The palace shook at her feet, more rubble falling at the sound of merely her voice. "I was great before you. I will continue to be after you. face it Kronos...I was never the one who needed you. It's you who needed me."

He froze her in time. She smirked. That seemed to enrage him more, he charged forward ready to pierce his sword straight through her chest.

Percy intercepted before Kronos could reach her. Riptide clanged against Backbiter. Percy held their blades to Kronos' chest. "You're done hurting her." He growled.

Kronos yelled in frustration, He swung his sword again, Percy deflected it.

They fought through the hearth, kicking up coals and sparks. Kronos slashed an armrest off the throne of Ares, but then he backed Percy up to his dad's throne.

"Oh, yes," Kronos said. "This one will make fine kindling for my new hearth!"

Their blades clashed in a shower of sparks. Percy pushed him back and struck again—slashing Riptide across his breastplate so hard he cut a gash in the Celestial bronze.

He stamped his foot again and time slowed. Percy tried to attack but he was moving at the speed of a glacier. Kronos backed up leisurely, catching his breath. He examined the gash in his armor while Percy struggled forward, cursing him. He could take all the time-outs he wanted, Lucia could feel his heartbeat and he was growing more tired by the second.

"It's too late, Percy Jackson," he said. "Behold."

He pointed to the hearth, and the coals glowed. A sheet of white smoke poured from the fire, forming images like an Iris message. Lucia saw Nico and Percy's parents 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 being destroyed. Mortals, now fully awake, were running in terror. Cars swerved and crashed.

The scene shifted,

A column of storm 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 Lucia saw Typhon clearly for the first time.

Lucia knew as long as she lived, which might not be that long, she would never be able to get the image out of her mind. Typhon's head shifted constantly. Every moment he was a different monster, each more horrible than the last. Looking at his face would've driven her insane, so she focused on his body, which wasn't much better. 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. His legs were scaly and reptilian.

"The Olympians are giving their final effort." Kronos laughed. "How pathetic."

Zeus threw a thunderbolt from his chariot. The blast lit up the world. Lucia could feel the shock even here on Olympus, but when the dust cleared, Typhon was still standing. He staggered a bit, with a smoking crater on top of his misshapen head, but he roared in anger and kept advancing.

Lucia's limbs began to loosen up. Kronos didn't seem to notice. His attention was focused on the fight and his final victory.

Typhon stepped into the Hudson River and barely sank to midcalf.

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 air as easily as in water. Percy's father, glowing with a blue aura of power, rode a defiant circle around the giant's legs. Poseidon was 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 Lucia wasn't sure if she 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 Cyclopes, and leading them into battle was...

"Tyson!" Lucia cheered.

She knew he couldn't hear her, but she stared at him 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.

"it's Briares!"

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 off 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. Lucia's father 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. Typhon bellowed in agony, thrashing with such force that waves sloshed the Jersey shore, soaking five-story buildings and splashing over the George Washington Bridge—but down he went as Percy's dad 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 in a seething whirlpool, and he was gone.

"BAH!" Kronos screamed. He slashed his sword through the smoke, tearing the image to shreds.

"They're on their way," Percy said. "You've lost."

"I haven't even started."

He advanced with blinding speed. Grover—brave satyr that he was—tried to protect him, but Kronos tossed him aside like a rag doll.

Lucia created her holograms and surrounded Kronos, She blasted him with beams of light but due to his invulnerability, the most it did was burn his skin and bounce back to Lucia.

She kept surrounding him until she felt a sharp pain in her gut. Lucia gasped, The holograms disappeared as she fell back into the marble ground. She had forgotten about the cut from Ethan's blade.

Percy dove back in and sidestepped and jabbed under Kronos's guard. It was a good trick. Unfortunately, Kronos countered the strike and disarmed him using one of the first moves he'd ever taught him. Riptide skittered across the ground and fell straight into the open fissure.

"STOP!" Annabeth came from nowhere.

Kronos whirled to face her and slashed with Backbiter, but somehow Annabeth caught the strike on her dagger hilt. It was a move only the quickest and most skilled knife fighter could've managed.

She stepped in closer for leverage, their blades crossed, and for a moment she stood face-to-face with the Titan lord, holding him at a standstill.

"Luke," she said, gritting her teeth, "I understand now. You have to trust me."

Kronos roared in outrage. "Luke Castellan is dead! His body will burn away as I assume my true form!"

Kronos pushed against her, trying to dislodge his blade, but she held him in check, her arms trembling as he forced his sword down toward her neck.

"Beth! Keep trying!" Lucia winced, she held her stomach. "He's in there...trust me. He just needs to remember."

"Your mother," Annabeth grunted. "She saw your fate."

"Service to Kronos!" the Titan roared. "This is my fate."

"No!" Annabeth insisted. Her eyes were tearing up, but Lucia didn't know if it was from sadness or pain. "That's not the end, Luke. The prophecy: she saw what you would do. It applies to you!"

"I will crush you, child!" Kronos bellowed.

"You won't," Annabeth said. "You promised. You're holding Kronos back even now."

"LIES!" Kronos pushed again, and this time Annabeth lost her balance. With his free hand, Kronos struck her face, and she slid backward.

Lucia summoned all her will. She managed to rise, but it was like holding the weight of the sky again. Kronos loomed over Annabeth, his sword raised.

Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. She croaked, "Family, Luke. You promised."

Lucia took a painful step forward. Grover and Percy were back on their feet, but they seemed to be struggling to move as well. Before either of them could get anywhere close to Annabeth, Kronos staggered.

He stared at the knife in Annabeth's hand, the blood on her face. "Promise."

Then he gasped like he couldn't get air. "Annabeth . . ." But it wasn't the Titan's voice. It was Luke's.

He stumbled forward like he couldn't control his own body. "You're bleeding. . . ."

"My knife." Annabeth tried to raise her dagger, but it clattered out of her hand. Her arm was bent at a funny angle. She looked at Lucia, imploring, "Lucy, please . . ."

She could move again.

Lucia surged forward and scooped up her knife. She knocked Backbiter out of Luke's hand, and it spun into the hearth. Luke hardly paid her any attention. He stepped toward Annabeth, but she put herself between him and her.

"You won't touch her," Her voice boomed, "Do you hear me!"

Anger rippled across his face. Kronos's voice growled: "Apollonione . . ." Was it her imagination, or was his whole body glowing, turning gold?

He gasped again. Luke's voice: "He's changing. Help. He's . . . he's almost ready. He won't need my body anymore. Please—"

"NO!" Kronos bellowed. He looked around for his sword, but it was in the hearth, glowing among the coals.

Lucia felt her heart ache, she knew to a degree what Luke was feeling right now. She knew what it was like to fight for control of the only place that was supposed to be sacred to yourself.

He stumbled toward it. Lucia surged forward to stop him, but he pushed her out of the way with such force she landed next to Annabeth and cracked her head on the base of Athena's throne.

"The knife, Lucia, Get it to Luke," Annabeth muttered. Her breath was shallow. "The prophecy...."

Lucia was dazed but she felt herself finally understanding. "Percy!" He turned to her, She used all her strength to stand and walk to him, black spots obscured her vision. She placed the knife into his hand.

"Hero...cursed blade...him"

She saw Kronos grasping his sword. Then he bellowed in pain and dropped it. His hands were smoking and seared. The hearth fire had grown red-hot, like the scythe wasn't compatible with it. Lucia saw an image of Hestia flickering in the ashes, frowning at Kronos with disapproval.

Luke turned and collapsed, clutching his ruined hands. "Please, Percy . . ."

Percy stood before him. And Lucia collapsed back to the ground in exhaustion...

Luke moistened his lips. "You can't . . . can't do it yourself. He'll break my control. He'll defend himself. Only my hand. I know where. I can . . . can keep him controlled."

He was definitely glowing now, his skin starting to smoke.

Percy raised the knife to strike. Then he looked at Annabeth, at Grover cradling her in his arms, trying to shield her. And back to Lucia who lay helplessly behind him, she was clutching her stomach.

"Please," Luke groaned. "No time."

If Kronos evolved into his true form, there would be no stopping him. Despite Lucia's provoking words. She knew he would make Typhon look like child's play.

The line from the great prophecy echoed in her head: A hero's soul, cursed blade shall reap.

Percy gave the knife to Luke.

Grover yelped. "Percy? Are you . . . um . . ."

"No! It's good!" Lucia said, her voice drifting off "Good..."

They watched as Luke grasped the hilt.

Percy stood before him—defenseless.

He unlatched the side straps of his armor, exposing a small bit of his skin just under his left arm, a place that would be very hard to hit. With difficulty, he stabbed himself.

It wasn't a deep cut, but Luke howled. His eyes glowed like lava. The throne room shook, throwing Percy off his feet to land next to Lucia. An aura of energy surrounded Luke, growing brighter and brighter.

Percy turned and held her, blocking her from Luke. As he shut his eyes a force like a nuclear explosion blistered his skin and cracked his lips.

It was silent for a long time.

When they opened their eyes, they all saw Luke sprawled at the hearth.

On the floor around him was a blackened circle of ash. Kronos's scythe had liquefied into molten metal and was trickling into the coals of the hearth, which now glowed like a blacksmith's furnace.

Luke's left side was bloody. His eyes were open—blue eyes, the way they used to be. His breath was a deep rattle.

"Good...blade," he croaked.

Percy helped Lucia up, She used him as support. Annabeth limped over with Grover's support. They both had tears in their eyes. Luke gazed at Annabeth. "You knew. I almost killed you, but you knew . . ."

"Shhh." Her voice trembled. "You were a hero at the end, Luke. You'll go to Elysium."

He shook his head weakly. "Think . . . rebirth. Try for three times. Isles of the Blest."

Annabeth sniffled. "You always pushed yourself too hard."

He held up his charred hand. Annabeth touched his fingertips.

"Family. . ." Luke coughed and his lips glistened red. "right?"

Annabeth wiped her tears away. "You did promise . . .You were like a brother to me, Luke," she said softly. "I love you."

He nodded, He winced in pain. "Me too."

"We can get ambrosia," Grover said. "We can—Lucia?"

She frowned, resting her heavy head on Percy's shoulder. He held her firmly. He was the only thing keeping her upright at the moment. "I'm sorry..."

"No, I'm sorry," Luke gulped. "Grover, You're the bravest satyr I ever knew. But no. There's no healing. . . ." Another cough.

He gripped Percy's sleeve, "Ethan. Me. All the unclaimed. Don't let it . . . Don't let it happen again."

His eyes were angry, but pleading too.

"I won't," He said. "I promise."

Luke nodded, and his hand went slack.

The gods arrived a few minutes later in their full war regalia, thundering into the throne room and expecting a battle.

What they found were Annabeth, Grover, Percy, and Lucia standing over the body of a broken half-blood, in the dim warm light of the hearth.

"Percy," His father called, awe in his voice. "What . . . what is this?"

He turned and faced the Olympians.

"We need a shroud," He announced, his voice cracking. "A shroud for the son of Hermes."

A/N: hi hi sorry for taking so long finals have been hellllll but i finish very soon therefore be ready for more updates and perhaps some new books 🤭 besides that though i really wanted to give u guys a little something something. if you get a little confused i do want to say i changed some thing from the last two chapters i.e. agatha merely hurts her wound but doesn't re open it. This book has nottt been edited yet therefore there are some mistakes  but it will be once it's all finished and i start my heroes of olympus book! i don't know when that will be just yet but i hope you all come along with me :) thanks for reading i hope you all enjoyed and happy holidays to those who celebrate

ps. if you'd like i would love to get ideas of things you want to see in the hoo book. <3

-V.