(Luke's POV)

It hurt, this voice in my head, it screamed and taunted and degraded me. Gave me orders I couldn't refuse. Words spilt from my mouth before I even knew what I was saying.

"The Olympians are giving their final efforts. How pathetic." But this is not how things are going to end, I'll make sure of it. Just loosen the bond on Percy, just a small bit!

"No! NO!" I was afraid Kronos had noticed my weak display of defiance, but it was directed to Poseidon's attack. I heard Percy yell, but couldn't comprehend what he had called out. Fighting the hold on me was tiring, depleting the energy I needed to simply keep existing.

I was moving, slashing through something, please gods don't let it be Annabeth, Grover, or Percy.

"I haven't even started." Right after that I was moving again and my numb fingers met flesh and a twitch through my arm set someone flying to the other side of the room. The blur of brown fur told me that it was Grover I had thrown, but I couldn't dwell on his actions I was in motion again blocking a strike from Percy.

"STOP!" Annabeth's voice rang clear through the mess of my mind like a bell in a dark room. I whirled around to face her, but he had other ideas and brought my sword down to meet her flesh, but she stopped it. My wonderful Annabeth stopped the sword with her small dagger.

"Luke, I understand now. You have to trust me." And I do!

"Luke Castellan is dead! His body will burn away as I assume my true form!" I was pushing on her dagger through my sword, but she was strong, that's my Annabeth.

"Your mother, she saw your fate."

"Service to Kronos," the words spilled automatically, "This is my fate!"

"No!" The sword neared her throat, not my Annabeth, "That's not the end, Luke. The prophecy: she saw what you would do. It applies to you!"

"LIES!" He screamed as he sent her to the ground with a slap to the face, but it's true, her words are true. ANNABETH!

"Family, Luke. You promised." I remembered when I made that promise, when Annabeth had been so small.

"Promise." I, Luke Castellan, managed to choke out without Kronos. That was all I needed and I could see better, and I saw her, my Annabeth on the floor tearing up, blood smeared over her features, my strong Annabeth, grown up, hurt, and looking so young again. I couldn't breathe, "Annabeth... you're bleeding..." I had to get to her, I had to help! She looked away.

"My knife, Percy, please." I had to help her, I moved forward to, but Percy blocked my way.

"Don't touch her." He growled darkly. How dare he tell me that I can't touch Annabeth, who is like a sister to me!

"Jackson..." but anger was the trigger that's what let Kronos take control again. Why was it so hot? I couldn't breathe. I need air, I need to let them know.

"He's changing. Help. He's...He's almost ready. He won't need my body anymore. Please-NO" Kronos cut me off and I was moving and I shoved another person, pretty sure it was Percy. Then Annabeth was murmuring something and the son of Poseidon was in motion again.

I reached my sword, but it burned my hand searing my senses. Oh, gods it HURT!

"Please, Percy..." The pain only did do much to distract Kronos, but my hands! It was pain I had never endured before!

Percy moved towards me, knife in hand, but I knew that look and the way he grasped the hilt. He was going to try to kill me himself.

"You can't . . . can't do it yourself. He'll break my control." Even already I could feel my little wall being chipped away at, "He'll defend himself. Only my hand. I know where. I can . . . can keep him controlled." At least I hoped I could keep him in control, but once again I could feel my temperature rising to a degree way beyond healthy.

Percy looked over my shoulder, I didn't have the energy to follow his gaze, but I could see that there were a thousand and one thoughts racing through his injured and broken mind.

"Please," I was hot, so hot that what should have been sweat was coming off as steam. I ached everywhere, everything hurt. I couldn't breathe, "No time."

I felt the cool metal of the hilt as it was shoved into my hand. Good, thank you, Percy.

Grover said something, but my head was too full of struggle.

With agonizing difficulty I undid the strap of the left side of my armor and stabbed the knife into where I had chosen to be my only weak spot.

Gods it hurt like TARTARUS! Why was it so HOT! I can't breath, I Can't Breath, I CAN'T BREATH! but I could feel the blood trickling out of my wound.

"Good...Blade..." I managed to choke out, Percy was next to me. And not long after my Annabeth was there with Grover, "You knew, I almost killed you, but you knew..."

Annabeth smiled at me with tears in her eyes that shouldn't be there.

"Shhhh, you were a hero in the end, Luke. You'll go to Elysium." She always did believe in me for the best, but I knew I wouldn't make it.

"Think...rebirth. Try three times. Isle of the Blest." My body felt weak and thin, my chest felt tight.

"You always pushed yourself too hard." She smiled with tears in her eyes, I always loved that smile. I held up my hand for her to take, and she did.

"Did you-" I coughed and felt glistening blood drip onto my lips, "Did you love me?" I tightened my grip on her hand, I had to know.

"There was a time I thought...well I though," She looked to Percy and I knew that gaze too, I wasn't only battle tactics and hard training. And I was expecting her answer when it came, "You were like a brother to me, Luke, but I didn't love you." I nodded and was just glad she was happy. Gah! Everything hurt!

I heard Grover say something about ambrosia.

"Grover," I swallowed the emotions and pain to finish my sentence, "You're the bravest satyr I ever knew. But no. There's no healing. . . ."

As the pain ebbed so did my vision, and I could feel my life slipping away, but this wasn't Kronos. I couldn't fight what was coming, but there was one last thing I had to say before I left them and let my father lead me to the Underworld.

I grabbed Percy's arm, his skin freezing to my burning touch.

"Ethan. Me. All the unclaimed. Don't let it...Don't let it happen again." I was furious with the gods for letting their children go so long without knowing their parents.

The last thing I saw before everything went black was Percy nodding, agreeing to my request. I saw his lips move, but by then my senses were dying with me. One by one by one by one, until all I had left was my sight.

But eventually that went too and all was black.