The Lightning Thief

by Kako Koritsi

When you lord over existence with a ball of yarn and a pair of scissors, sometimes you reach the need to create some means of entertainment. The Fates had a long list of games for this reason, but their favorite? Between each slice of their scissor's sharp blades, they liked to pull the string of Percy Jackson's life, seeing how tarnished they can make it without splitting a seam.

1. Prologue

He didn't quite know what to think of this, really. Lightning raced across his fingertips as a vast hurricane sheltered his glowing figure, the buried corpses of long ago rising from their places in the Underworld at his will. The power was overwhelming, his skin honed to metal- overwhelming.

Yes, there were no words that could take up the task of describing the thoughts the poisoned his dazed mind. It was probably better not to think at all.

The boy in front of him, taking up the soul of a Titan- he understood. Time bending at his will, running up to brace against the power of the gods; it must also be overwhelming in its own way. Percy realized that. Percy heeded that.

If he tried hard enough, he could almost pretend that the world went still for a small moment. As its breath was held, the storm stopped, the dead froze. Percy's control faded into nothing, skin softening to something more human.

The boy still stood in front of him, with his large gold eyes.

If he could keep the illusion going, he would walk briskly a few steps, coming to a halt directly in front of Kronos. The two would stay there for a moment, breathing in the same wisps of air and Mist.

At this point, a smile would tug at the boy's lips, upturning the corners of his mouth into a tiny grin. The little change would mean everything, and Kronos's eyes would flicker blue, and Luke would be back.

The illusion always ended like that, it seemed. With the traces of a warm, fuzzy feeling in his chest and a heavier heart. It was definitely better not to think.