Broken Promises
A/N: I wrote this, because I felt like it. Plus, Luke is misunderstood. I don't know if this is any good or not, but hopefully you'll enjoy :)
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The goat had changed his life that day.
Luke Castellan was alone. He had wandered the streets for a good three years, evading monsters as he went, and befriending the occasional mortal.
That was, until the goat showed up, a girl trailing behind it. The girl was about ten years old, with electric blue eyes and black, spiky hair.
The goat disappeared, leaving the girl standing there. "Amaltheia!" She called. "Oh, it's no use."
The girl studied Luke. Her intense blue eyes bored into him.
Then, a dracaenae appeared out of nowhere, about to attack both of us. The girl tapped a bracelet on her wrist, and said, "Aegis!" A shield instantly popped up, and she pulled out a spear. Together they battled the dracaenae until it turned to dust.
"You're a demigod, aren't you?" The girl asked.
Luke nodded, "So are you."
"I'm Thalia," She said. "Daughter of Zeus. I ran away a month ago."
"I'm Luke," He said. "Son of Hermes at your service. I ran away three years ago."
Ever since then, the pair decided to stick together to stay alive. Luke Castellan was not alone anymore.
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The dustbin was rattling. Luke looked over at Thalia and pulled off the lid.
A little girl flew at him with a hammer.
"Whoa!" Luke said in surprise, grabbing her wrist.
"No more monsters!" The girl shrieked. "Go away!"
"It's okay!" Luke insisted. "Thalia, put your shield up. You're scaring her."
"Hey, it's alright," Thalia soothed. "We're not going to hurt you. I'm Thalia. This is Luke."
"Monsters!" She shrieked.
The girl stopped kicking and studied Thalia and Luke with large grey eyes. If Luke had to take a guess, he'd say he was a daughter of Athena.
"You're like me?" She said suspiciously.
"Yeah," Luke said. He didn't know how to explain the word demigod to this little girl. "We're well...it's hard to explain. We're monster fighters. Where's your family?"
"My family hates me," the girl said. "They don't want me. I ran away."
"What's your name, kiddo?" Thalia asked.
"Annabeth." The girl said.
Luke and Thalia locked eyes. They could both relate and they made a silent pact: they would take care of her.
And so Luke had given her the Celestial Bronze knife he had gotten from Halcyon Green, from the little girl he had saved, and offered her a place with him and Thalia. He sealed it with a promise,
"You're part of our family now. And I promise I won't let anything hurt you. I'm not going to fail you like our families did us. Deal?" Luke said to her.
"Deal!" She said happily.
Little did he know how soon that promise was going to break.
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Luke's father was pleading with him.
Oh, Hermes, his so called father. What had he ever done for him? No, he left him with his mother, her fits and her glowing green eyes! Luke remembered hiding in a closet so he wouldn't have to face her.
"You're my son," he pleaded. "I knew you had the ability."
"I am not a god!" Luke growled. "You could have helped me when—" He lowered his voice so Thalia, and Annabeth could not hear. "She was having one of her fits and saying crazy things about my fate!"
"Luke, I care very much." Hermes pleaded.
What a bunch of BULL, Luke thought angrily. If he cared, then I wouldn't be in this mess in the first place.
"We can't interfere with mortal affairs," His 'father' said. "Especially when your destiny..."
"What?" Luke demanded.
"You should not have come back. I see now that you are too old to be on the run without help. I'll talk with Chiron and ask him to send a satyr to collect you." His father said.
Luke lost his temper. "We were doing fine without your help," He snarled. "If you love me, you'd tell me my destiny."
Hermes' expression tightened. "I cannot."
"Then you don't care!" He yelled. "Thalia, Annabeth, come on! We're leaving!"
Who needed HIM? He thought bitterly. He had his own family.
He couldn't care less about Hermes.
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"Luke?" Annabeth's small voice called out.
"Hey," Luke said to her gently. "Can't sleep?"
She shook her head, "Nightmare." She said.
Luke pulled her close. "You can stay here with me for the night."
She climbed in bed with him, and spoke into his shirt, "Thalia isn't very happy with you." She said matter of factly.
"Yeah," He said. "She thinks I'm not being careful, something like that, ever since Grover found us," He hesitated.
"I disagree," She said, looking up at me with big grey eyes. "Your father made you upset. You're doing the best you can."
He nodded, "Hopefully Thalia can see that."
"We're still going to be a family, right?" She asked innocently.
"Always," Luke promised as Annabeth fell asleep in his arms.
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Thalia spoke softly to him.
"Thalia, I can't let you do this," Luke pleaded with the girl.
"They want me," Thalia said. "Not you. You need to get Annabeth to safety. I'll hold them off."
"Thalia, I can't!" He pleaded.
"Luke." She said. "Please."
Luke sighed. "You will make it through. I have faith."
Then he struggled to hold a kicking and screaming Annabeth. She didn't want to leave Thalia either and neither did he. But he knew what he had to do. He and Grover made their way into the camp border.
They were safe. But Thalia was not.
As he blacked out, the only thing he thought of was Thalia.
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Luke's eyes flutter open.
"Ah, Luke, you're awake." A man's voice rang. Luke looked up to see that the man was half horse.
"You're Chiron, aren't you?" Luke said.
The man nodded.
"What happened to Thalia?" Luke demanded.
"Ah, that." Chiron said sadly. "Thalia sacrificed herself. She is now that big pine tree over at the Camp borderline."
Luke looked out the window at the tree that was not there before.
"And no one did anything to stop this?" Luke said angrily.
"There was nothing anyone could do, my boy." Chiron said.
"Yes, there was." Luke said resentfully as he stormed out of the infirmary. "The gods could have stopped it. But they didn't, because they don't care for us at all."
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Luke's quest to steal the Golden Apples of Hesperides was over, and he had come back successful.
While he loved Annabeth tenderly like a little sister, his hatred for the gods only seemed to grow over the past two years.
What had he gained out of the quest?
Sure, maybe a hero's welcome.
But nothing he had actually wanted, and it showed exactly how much demigods were pawns.
Pawns for the gods, and nothing more.
He had to get out.
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Kronos had first spoken to him in a dream.
"I can offer you great things, little hero." He hissed.
"Like what?" Luke asked.
"You can finally be recognized. You will not get pushed aside by the gods any longer." He hissed.
"How am I supposed to do that?" Luke asked.
"Just...follow my steps." He hissed. "Together you and I can destroy Olympus and rule over all of the world. By the way, I am Kronos, Titan of Time.
Luke took a deep breath. This could be his opportunity to rise up. "You must promise that you won't hurt Annabeth or Grover."
"Your friends won't be hurt." Kronos hissed, "Only the Olympians. I can promise you that."
Another broken promise.
Luke took a deep breath. "Where do I start?"
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The surefire way to chaos among the Olympians.
Stealing Zeus' lightning bolt. Luke had pondered about this, and even talked about it in a dream with Kronos.
If Zeus's lightning bolt was stolen, he'd blame Poseidon. Poseidon would call him out, say it wasn't true.
Luke wasn't sure yet how this would connect to Hades, but Kronos had assured him everything would go fine.
Luke then did what Kronos told him, and slipped the bolt by Ares' throne.
At least, he wasn't sure how it would connect until he came to Camp Half Blood.
Percy Jackson.
He was a hit as soon as he arrived. Only a few days after the boy had arrived, he was claimed by Poseidon.
Campers from the Hermes Cabin were instantly jealous of him. He'd gotten claimed in a few days; some of them had been there for years.
Luke knew what was going on, and smiled evilly. He was certainly not the same Luke that met Thalia all those years ago. With that day in his past home, yelling at Hermes all those years ago, and with Thalia's sacrifice, his quest, and time, he had slowly grew more hateful and evil.
Zeus was indeed blaming Poseidon for it. Therefore, Poseidon's son, Percy, was going to be sent on a quest to prove that it wasn't Poseidon.
This disgusted Luke. It only showed how much the gods used their children as pawns. Percy was basically used by his father. That's probably the only reason he was claimed.
But the quest was going to be to the Underworld. This is how it would get to Hades.
It went around pretty quick who was going on the quest.
Percy Jackson, obviously, for reasons no one needs to explain.
Annabeth Chase. Luke knew that Annabeth had wanted a quest for a really long time, and honestly, he never stopped caring for her.
Grover Underwood. Luke hoped the satyr would succeed in at least bringing him back alive, he couldn't care less about the rest.
Luke bid them all goodbye, giving Percy his father's flying shoes. He had especially hoped Annabeth would be safe.
But he hoped his plan would bring him success.
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"I need a spy," Luke said, eyeing Silena Beauregard.
"What makes you think I'm the right person?" Silena said. The blush on her face that she had upon being called by him went away pretty quick.
"Silena, you'll be saving lives. What have the gods ever done for us? Think. What has your mother done for you?" Luke's voice rose.
"N—nothing." She said. "Except claim me."
"Good, so you agree." Luke said.
Silena bit her lip. "Do you promise Charlie won't be hurt?"
"No one will get hurt, only the Olympians." Luke said. "I promise."
That promise was easily broken.
And so Luke gave Silena the scythe charm and he had his spy.
Perfect.
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"I'm leaving, Percy." Luke smiled evilly, releasing the scorpion. "I'll let you in on a little secret. I'm the Lightning Thief."
"Why?" Percy managed to say.
"Tell me, Percy. What have the gods ever done for us?" Luke inquired.
Percy couldn't talk. He was dealing with the scorpion. The son of Poseidon had ruined his plan. Zeus HAD the lightning bolt now. Kronos' plan was ruined. And that's why Percy Jackson had to go.
Luke smiled coldly, "I'd say you have about a minute to live."
Then, wishing Annabeth would stay safe, he leaves the Camp.
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"It will bring Thalia back," Kronos had said. Luke had felt immense relief. If he poisoned the tree then Thalia would come back to him. His Thalia would come back.
Surely she'd join him, right?
Oh, no, of course she'd join him.
If it weren't for the gods, she wouldn't be a pine tree in the first place.
So Luke had poisoned Thalia's tree.
Thalia would come back to him soon. Everything would be alright.
Luke had met Percy and Annabeth on his ship, Princess Andromeda.
He had offered both of them a place in his Titan Army.
They'd both said no.
Luke was outraged, especially at Annabeth.
They were supposed to be a family.
There for each other, through thick and thin.
Little did Luke know that Annabeth was feeling betrayed by him for the very same reason.
So he had left her with one sentence, sneering at the Cyclops she had dared to travel with. Didn't she know that a Cyclops caused Thalia's death in the first place.
"How can you say that I'm the one that dishonored Thalia, when you travel with that? You disappoint me the most." Luke spat at her, Annabeth's eyes growing wide.
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Luke was pleading with Thalia.
"Thalia," Luke persisted. "Call the Ophitaurus, and you will be more powerful than the gods."
"Luke," Thalia said. Her voice was pained. "What happened to you?"
All the better now the gods don't control me, Luke thought.
"Don't you remember all the times we talked? All those times we cursed the gods? Our fathers have done nothing for us. They have no right to rule the world!" He said.
Thalia shook her head. "Free Annabeth, let her go."
Luke looked down at Annabeth and his eyes softened. Just a little. Not enough to look like he really cared. "If you join me," He promised her. "It can be like old times. The three of us together, fighting for a better world."
Luke smiled to himself at the vision in his head. The gods wouldn't be in control. He'd have the family he'd always wanted.
"Now," Jackson said. They all charged at the enemy, and Thalia ran for Luke with her spear.
"You never could beat me," He said to her.
"We'll see about that," Thalia snarled.
Luke was outraged. Both of his girls, Thalia and Annabeth, were on the gods' side. How can this be? It only made him hate Jackson more. He knew that Jackson was influencing Annabeth greatly.
Thalia had him cornered. "Well?" Luke asked her.
"Thalia, no! Don't kill him!" Annabeth shrieked. "We'll take him to Olympus. He can be useful."
Luke sneered. Is this what has become of his Annabeth?
"Is that what you want? To go back to Olympus in triumph? To please your dad?" Luke sneered at Thalia.
She hesitated, and Luke tried to grab her spear.
Without thinking Thalia had pushed him away.
He was falling.
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The front of Annabeth's house in San Francisco looked lovely.
Luke didn't realize Kronos' plan.
Sure, he hated the gods.
A lot.
Sure, he wanted to see Olympus' downfall.
A lot.
But Luke hadn't realized that Kronos wanted use him as a host body.
Luke had one last chance.
He was going to ask Annabeth to run-away with him like old times.
He didn't know whether she would say yes or no.
But it was worth a shot.
Taking a deep breath, Luke knocked on the door. He heard footsteps and the door opened.
Standing there was Annabeth, who looked shocked. "L—Luke? I know you survived the fall, but what are you doing here, in San Francisco?"
"I wanted to ask you something," Luke said, wondering what to say. "I want you to run away with me. It'll be like old times. Please, it's the only choice I have. Kronos will take my body if I don't.
Annabeth pursed her lips, thinking about it.
"Annabeth, please!" He begged. "I'm so sorry for everything I did to you, everything I said to you! I was horrible to you. Please. Forgive me."
"I can't go with you, Luke." She said sadly. Taking one look at her face, Luke knew that it hurt her to say that.
But his eyes hardened anyway. "Fine then," He snapped at her. "But when Kronos takes over my body, both you and I will regret it."
Annabeth looked like she wanted to say something more, but Luke had already slammed her door, and was on his way out.
Some family he had. Luke knew deep down inside that most of this was his fault, not Annabeth's.
He had nowhere to go, no one to turn to.
Luke Castellan was stuck.
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"The Styx, boy." Kronos growled in his head. "You already went for your mother's blessing. It's time."
"So I'm supposed to help you possess me by bathing in the Styx." Luke summed up.
"I told you already!" Kronos growled in exasperation. "You will be immortal and the Olympians will fall once and for all!"
Luke knew he would regret this later.
He dived into the River Styx, thinking of a spot of small skin under his left arm.
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Luke was going to plan an invasion into the Camp, through the Labyrinth entrance. He was using, and has been using before, his spy, Silena Beauregard to get information, and Ethan Nakamura's help.
He had the string.
It was the first step to the downfall of Olympus.
Before his plan could carry out, time caught up to him.
His own body was taken away from him.
Luke wasn't Luke anymore.
He was Kronos now.
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"I'm done with you." She snarled.
Luke, no, Kronos was looking into the angry face of one Silena Beauregard. She appeared to have been crying, but it didn't make the death glare on her face any less scarier.
"You promised you wouldn't hurt Charlie. You lied to me. He's dead." Silena said.
"How was I supposed to know he was going to go on that death mission?" He spat.
"It's not only that. Luke. The Camp trusted you. I trusted you. Lives were lost in the invasion last year. Hell, Annabeth still trusts you. Now...it's like no one knows you anymore." Silena said sadly.
"Maybe it is the other way around." He said sharply. "You are still saving lives."
"Take your stupid scythe charm," Silena spat at him.
"Listen," He said to her. "I can tell the entire Camp what you have done. I can tell them all you're the spy."
Silena's eyes grew wide. "You wouldn't."
He smirked. "I expect another report soon, Silena."
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Luke was still fighting him.
Kronos had taken over his system; his body completely.
But Luke was still fighting.
He had realized by now what he'd done.
It was too late.
"Luke," Annabeth said. "You need to trust me."
I do trust you, he had wanted to say.
Instead, Kronos roared, "Luke Castellan is dead! His body will burn away once I assume my true form!"
"Your mother saw your fate," Annabeth persisted.
"Service to Kronos is my fate!" The Titan roared.
"That's not the end, Luke. The prophecy: she saw what you would do. It applies to you!" Annabeth pleaded.
"I will crush you child!" Kronos roared.
No. Luke HAD to stop this from happening. Annabeth HAD to live and if Kronos assumed his true form, game over.
Kronos' promise was broken.
Hell, his OWN promise was broken.
"You said we were a family." Annabeth said. "You promised."
"LIES!" Kronos pushed her weapon and her face was bleeding.
"Family, Luke." She said. "You promised."
Luke had to speak to her. He didn't know how. Luke fought against Kronos as hard as he could, and managed to get out, "Annabeth...you're bleeding..."
"Jackson," Kronos's voice growled.
His body was turning gold. This is the end. Kronos wouldn't need his body any longer.
Then, it hit Luke.
He was the hero.
He had to take the dagger, stab himself, and stop Kronos from arising and killing them all.
"He's changing," Luke managed to get out. "He won't need my body anymore. Please—"
"NO!" Kronos bellowed.
He couldn't arise.
"Hero..." Annabeth croaked. "Cursed blade..."
"Please," He groaned. "No time."
He took the dagger from Jackson and stabbed himself in the spot under his left arm.
He howled in pain as a forceful aura surrounded him.
Kronos was there no more.
"Good...blade." He croaked.
He had realized what he had done now. He had regretted everything.
But it was too late now. He was dying.
"You knew," He said to Annabeth. "I almost killed you...but you knew..."
"Shh..." Her voice trembled. "You were a hero at the end. You'll go to Elysium."
Would he? He thought.
"Think...rebirth." He coughed. "Three times, Isles of the Blest."
"You always pushed yourself too hard," Annabeth sniffed.
"Did you..." He coughed. "Did you love me?"
"There was a time when I thought..." She gazed at Jackson. She was in love with him and he knew it. Luke wished the two of them happiness and luck in the future. "You were like a brother to me, Luke. But I didn't love you."
He coughed loudly.
"We can get ambrosia," Grover spoke up. "We can—"
Luke cut him off. "Grover, you are the bravest satyr I have ever known, but there's no healing..."
Luke grabbed Jackson's arm. "All the unclaimed, Ethan, me. Don't let it happen again."
"I won't," He said. "I promise."
Luke nodded, thinking of his family, and the simpler times.
When it was just him, Thalia, and Annabeth on the run.
His hand went slack and he closed his eyes for the very last time.
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"Castellan, Luke." Minos called, pulling out a folder.
"Hmm." He said, looking at Luke's file. "Your life was pretty interesting. It could warrant Fields of Punishment, or Elysium."
He looked at the other judges, "What do you think?"
"He was wrongfully misguided," Jefferson said. "In the end he was a hero. I sentence him to Elysium."
And so Luke's spirit forever in Elysium, guarding the ones he loved.
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A/N: What did you think of it? Was it any good? Please leave your thoughts in a review, they make me happy! :)
-Ana
