chapter 20 : The Final Battle

Soon we shipped off our wounded back to Camp Half-blood and realised we were down to sixteen campers, fifteen Hunters, half a dozen satyrs and only Jake and another grey werewolf left in fighting shape.

"We're going to fail"

Annabeth said

"Your mother is the Goddess of Strategy and Wisdom and that's all you can come up with?"

I couldn't help but sneering. She's right; don't get me wrong, but our mutual dislike for each other keeps us going. Percy chuckled

"we need to go up to Olympus. the slow elevator should slow them down"

he suggested. I nodded. Olympus is where demigods are stronger

Thalia, Grover, Annabeth, Percy and I headed inside the Empire State building and up to the 600th floor. I felt stubbed when the doors opened.

Depressing is not a word that usually describes Mount Olympus, but it looked that way now. No fires lit the braziers. The windows were dark. The streets were deserted and the doors were barred. the only movement was in the parks, which had been set up as field hospitals. The Apollo campers scrambled around, caring for the wounded. Naiads and dryads tried to help, using nature magic songs to heal burns and poison.

The earth shook violently.

"Can you send everyone to the Camp?"

Thalia asked in a trembling voice. I nodded, not trusting my own voice and called an order in ancient Greek. The pure energy used caused even more debris to fall on us. We started running and made it to the edge of the mountain just as the final section collapsed. Annabeth looked back at the elevator, which was now completely out of reach. Just a polished set of metal doors hanging in space, attached to nothing, six hundred stories above Manhattan.

"We're marooned. On our own."

she cried.

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

Thalia said in a sad voice. We ran through streets. Mansions were burning. Statues had been hauled down. Trees in the parks were blasted to splinters. It looked like someone had attacked the city with a giant bat. We followed the winding path toward the palace of the gods. I didn't remember the road being so long. Maybe Kronos was making time go slower, or maybe it was just dread slowing me down. 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 armour, ripped clothing, swords and spears broken in half. Somewhere ahead of us, Kronos' voice roared:

"Brick by brick! That was my promise. Tear it down brick by brick!"

A white marble temple with a golden dome suddenly exploded. the dome shot up like the lid of a teapot and shattered into a billion pieces, raining rubble over the city.

"that was a shrine to Artemis"

Thalia grumbled.

"He'll pay for that."

I snickered darkly seeing a statue of Aphrodite in pieces. We were running under the marble archway with the huge statues of Zeus and Hera when the entire mountain groaned, rolling sideways like a boat in a storm.

"Look out!"

Grover yelped. the archway crumbled. I looked up in time to see a twenty-ton scowling Hera topple over Percy and Annabeth. Thalia shoved them from behind and they landed just out of danger letting the archway pin her lower body down.

"Thalia!"

Grover cried and we all ran to him and tried desperately to move it, but it would've taken several Cyclopes. When we tried to pull Thalia out from under it, she yelled in pain and growled

"I survive all those battles and I get defeated by a stupid chunk of rock!"

"It's Hera"

Annabeth said in outrage.

"She's had it in for me all year. Her statue would've killed me if you hadn't pushed us away."

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

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

"We'll be back"

"I'm not going anywhere"

Thalia groaned at Percy. Annabeth stayed by her side to protect her friend. fireball erupted on the side of the mountain, right near the gates of the palace.

"We've got to run"

I said

"I don't suppose you mean away"

Grover murmured hopefully. we sprinted towards the palace

"I was afraid of that"

Grover sighed, and clip-clopped after us. the doors of the main palace were big enough to steer a cruise ship through, but they'd been ripped off their hinges and smashed like they weighed nothing. We had to climb over a huge pile of broken stone and twisted metal to get inside. Kronos stood in the middle of the throne room, his arms wide, staring at the starry ceiling as if taking it all in. His laughter echoed even louder than it had from the pit of Tartarus.

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

The demigod I had seen with Promitheus, Ethan Nakamura, stood to one side, trying to stay out of the way of his master's scythe. the hearth was almost dead, just a few coals glowing deep in the ashes. Hestia was nowhere to be seen. An Ophiotaurus swam in his water sphere in the far corner of the room, wisely not making a sound, but it wouldn't be long before Kronos noticed him. Annabeth, Grover, Percy and I stepped forward into the torchlight. Ethan saw us first.

"My lord"

he warned. Kronos turned and smiled through Luke's face. Except for the golden eyes, he looked just the same as he had ten years ago when I welcomed him into the Camp. I felt my stomach tighten. A whimper rose from my throat.

"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. But I suppose you don't have his skill."

Percy goaded him and Kronos sneered. His scythe began to change, until he held Luke's old weapon, Backbiter, with its half-steel, half-Celestial bronze blade. The metaphorical light bulb went on in my head.

"Percy, the blade! The hero's soul, cursed blade shall reap."

Kronos raised his sword.

"Wait!"

I yelled but I was ignored as Kronos lunged at Percy who dodged and slashed and rolled, but seemed subdued, like he was fighting a hundred swordsmen. Ethan ducked to one side, trying to get behind him and I intercepted. We started fighting as well. The kid was pretty good but I was better. Too bad my celestial bronze sword can't kill demigods.. Somewhere behind us, safe, Grover was playing his reed pipes. The sound was filled with warmth and courage — thoughts of sunlight and a blue sky and a calm meadow, somewhere far away from the war.

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.

"Defence mode. Defence mode"

it warned.

"Percy jump!"

I called to him and he jumped straight over Kronos' 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. I saw my chance and kicked Ethan out of the way and charged Kronos.

"Luke, listen!"

Kronos flicked his hand. I felt as if an invincible fist smacked to me but I remained upright. Okay... I felt woozy but no need to advertise it!

Grass grew on the floor of the throne room. Tiny roots crept up between the cracks of the marble stones. Kronos rose to one knee. His hair smouldered. His face was covered with electrical burns. He reached for his sword, but this time it didn't fly into his hands. Kronos stomped his foot, and the floor ruptured around Ethan Nakamura. the son of Nemesis fell through a fissure that went straight through the heart of the mountain, straight into open air.

"So much for now for the rest of you."

Kronos picked up his sword. I knew I could attack him myself but it wasn't my Fate. It was Percy's. Grover had stopped playing was on the ground motionless hit by a straight piece of floor.

Percy and Kronos kept fighting, their blades clashed in a shower of sparks. Kronos was stronger than him, even in his fading human body host. I had an idea and created a soft rain around Percy who instantly got stronger by it. He pushed Kronos back and struck again — slashing Riptide across his breastplate.

I was hit with a vision

I saw Nico with Charlie and sally 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 changed, and I saw something even more terrifying. 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 I saw Typhon clearly for the first time.

I knew as long as I lived (which might not be that long actually) I would never be able to get the image out of my 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 me insane, so I focused on his body, which wasn't much better. He was humanoid, but his skin reminded me of a meat loaf sandwich that had been in someone's fridge all year. He was mold green, with blisters the size of buildings and blackened patties 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.

Zeus threw a thunderbolt from his chariot. the blast lit up the world. I could feel the shot 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. My limbs began to loosen up. Kronos didn't seem to notice. His attention was focused on the fight and his final victory. If I could hold out a few more seconds, and if my dad kept his word… Typhon stepped into the Hudson River and barely sank to midcalf.

"Now daddy, Please, it has to happen now"

I sent a semi-conscious thought to my father who battled in the sea.

As if he could hear me, a horn sounded from the smoky picture. the call of the ocean. the call of Poseidon. All around Typhon, the Hudson River erupted, burning 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. My father, glowing with a blue aura of power, rode a defiant circle around the giant's legs. Poseidon was no longer an old man. He looked like himself again — tan and strong with a bla? beard. As he swung his trident, the river responded, making a funnel cloud around the monster.

"Now, my brethren!"

Poseidon's voice was so loud I wasn't sure if I was hearing it from the vision 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, the Cyclop son of Poseidon. Riding behind him was Briares, the Hundred-Handed One. 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 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. Apollo 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 my 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.

The vision ended.

"they're on their way" I said. "You've lost."

"I haven't even started."

He advanced with blinding speed. I jabbed under Kronos' guard. It was a good trick. Unfortunately, Luke showed to me. He countered the strike and disarmed me using Luke's favourite move. My sword skittered across the ground and fell straight into the open fissure. He threw my on my back with Backbiter pushed into my neck. I could feel my gold blood tricking down my neck and splatter to the marble floor.

From the corner of my time I saw Percy frozen. Literally frozen in time.

"I will crush you, child!"

Kronos bellowed.

"You won't You're holding Kronos back"

I whispered and cupped his face in hand.

"Take my dagger. Look in Katoptris Luke"

I told him softly making no move to get up or fight. Kronos staggered. He stared at the knife in my left hand, the blood on my neck.

"Bella"

He whispered and stumbled forward like he couldn't control his own body. he never moved Backbiter off my neck but grasped Katoptris. His eyes widened at the image my dagger showed him. He looked at me again before letting Katotris fall down. He unlatched the side straps of his armour, 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, allowing him to move again. An aura of energy surrounded Luke, growing brighter and brighter. I shut my eyes and felt a force like a nuclear explosion blister my skin and crack my lips. It was silent for a long time.

When I opened my eyes, I saw Luke sprawled at the hearth. On the floor around him was a blackened circle of ash. Luke's left side was bloody. His eyes were open — blue eyes, the way they used to be. His breath was a deep ramble.

"Good… blade"

he croaked. I pushed myself up and knelt next to him placing his head on my lap tenderly. Percy crawled over to us and grasped Luke's hand.

"You were a hero at the end, Luke. The prophesied Hero"

He shook his head weakly. and held up his charred hand bringing it to my face.

"Did you…"

Luke coughed and his lips glistened red.

"Did you love me?"

I nodded letting my tears fall down my cheeks and to his lips.

"Always have, always will"

He nodded and I placed a soft kiss on his bloody lips. He winced in pain. 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. I promise."

Percy whispered and Luke nodded. 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 Grover playing a sad tune on his reed pipes, Percy and me holding the body of a broken half-blood, in the dim warm light of the hearth.

"Percy"

my father called, awe in his voice.

"What… what is this?"

I turned and faced the Olympians.

"We need a shroud"

Percy started to say but his voice cracked.

"A shroud for the son of Hermes."

I finished and ignoring my parents' imploring looks I walked out