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Disclaimer: don't own Percy Jackson or HOO.


Chapter 44 - The Titans' Blade

Kronos summoned his armour on and started making his way down the stands to the arena with Backbiter in hand. The figure of a women rose out of the earth and Kronos stopped.

"My children," her voice echoed around them and her mouth didn't move, "how nice it is to see you again."

Kronos lowered Backbiter. "Mother," he breathed.

"Yes, my son, it is I," Gaea said as she spread out her arms, "why do you all fight me? What have I done to make you hate me so much?"

The original twelve Titans were frozen, their various weapons lowered and each of them was staring at her in shock. Kronos swallowed nervously as his hands clenched around the handrail, "Why have you intruded?"

Gaea cocked her head to the side and glided forward over the earth. "To visit my children," she said, "am I not allowed to do that?"

"Not when we are on opposite sides in a war," Kronos growled.

"Then let us not be foes," Gaea said smoothly and her voice seemed to flow over the Titans enchantingly, "join me. Let us be rid of the retched gods together, my son. I know you still harbour a grudge against Olympus, despite welcoming them into Othrys. You wish to see them cast into Chaos, and so do I. Join me, my children, and I will forget your misgivings."

Kronos' eyes darkened as he listened. He looked back at the gods and Theron sucked in a breath, "Oh no." He raised his voice, "Do not listen to her, Father!"

Gaea looked around at the Titans above her in the stands. Hyperion and Krios were standing shoulder-to-shoulder and facing her with their weapons out. Gaea met Kronos' gaze with her own, "We can fight together. Just join me, my son."

Theron gritted his teeth, "Father, she is playing with your mind!"

"Throw the gods and their army out of Othrys, son," Gaea ordered, "then we may talk concerning a certain object in your throne room – or, should I say, under it."

Theron growled under his breath and padded down the stands towards Kronos. "She wants The Blade, Father, listen to me. Your duty is to protect The Blade."

Kronos' hands clenched and the handrail buckled. "Unfortunately, Mother, Theron is right. I do not care if you wish us to join you. You favour your second brood – the giants. You did not wake for our war on Olympus, yet for theirs you do. Rather unfair, no?" He vaulted over the handrail and landed in the arena. "The Titans' Blade is not something that I am going to willingly give you. You have two choices – leave peacefully now, or start a fight which we will happily finish."

Gaea looked at Kronos furiously. "You dare to speak to me like that?"

Kronos snorted, "The last time I saw you was five years after I killed Ouranos – nearly two billion years ago. I consider Ouranos more of a family than you."

Gaea laughed, "I am sure he is very pleased to hear that."

"He is dead," Kronos snorted, "he cannot hear this."

A sudden tornado appeared in the middle of the arena beside Gaea. Hyperion and Krios jumped out of the arena and the Titans scattered as lightning bolts shot out of the strong winds. Kronos looked up at the gods, "Get the half-bloods out of here!" He bellowed over the winds, "I need to take on my true form!"

The demigods immediately started scrambling to their feet and running to the doors. "What's happening?" Percy asked as the tide of his fellow half-bloods almost swept him off his feet.

Theron erupted into a pillar of flames as he travelled up to the gods and demigods. "Somehow Gaea has managed to awaken Ouranos. We are in a lot of trouble. Gaea we could handle… maybe. Her and Ouranos at once? Not a chance."

Zeus' eyes widened, "We can help. If we work together we can defeat them."

Theron shook his wolfish head, "No."

Kronos looked up at them, "Go!" He bellowed, "Theron, go to the throne room with the gods. Get The Blade. We will need it."

Theron nodded and grew so he was the size of two horses. "Let us go," he said to the gods before bounding out of the coliseum. Another door formed in the wall and Theron shot through it. The gods quickly followed and joined the demigods outside the arena. Theron started off charging down the corridor towards the throne room, shooting ahead of his allies as they all ran after him.

They found him in the throne room still in his wolf form. He was sitting down on the marble table and facing Kronos' throne as he chanted in the Old Tongue. The table he was on started rising and he leapt off it as it split down the middle. Theron changed into his mortal form and gestured to his siblings to join him. They hesitated slightly, but quickly followed him into the vault.

Theron lit his hand on fire and held it in front of them as they descended. He could see perfectly fine, but knew the gods' senses weren't as refined as his – one of the advantages of being the Titan of Hunting.

"What's down here?" Hades asked, "I can sense something…"

Theron sighed, "There is an old legend that we have a weapon that could easily bring about the downfall of Olympus if used correctly. All of the second-generation and our army believe that is all it is - a legend. But, the council and Gaea know that is not true."

"The downfall of Olympus?" Zeus frowned.

Theron nodded, "Kronos refused to use it in the First Olympian War – I mean the Titanomachy – and all of us agreed with him. The moment we used it the secret would have been out and we would have had even Primordials attempting to take it. Now it is likely our only hope against Gaea and Ouranos."

"This weapon," Poseidon said carefully, "what is it?"

"Anything," Theron grinned, "it takes on the wielder's preferred form of weapon – and before any of you get any ideas, only one of the thirteen council members can wield it." He looked pointedly at Zeus.

The Sky god scowled, "I'm not that bad with power."

"I was not saying you were," Theron shrugged, "but you do have lusts for power. Every single being knows that. Your fatal flaw is power."

"I'm a god – I don't have a fatal flaw," Zeus growled.

Theron rolled his eyes, "Please, you inherited Father's flaw. I did too… sort of. I also inherited a bit of Rhea's – personal loyalty." He glanced at Poseidon. "It gets incredibly annoying sometimes."

Zeus raised an eyebrow, "Two fatal flaws?"

"More like two halves of one," Theron corrected.

"It doesn't seem like your fatal flaw is power," Hestia noted, "I would have thought it was just personal loyalty."

Theron smiled, "Thank you, sister. But I work very hard to hide what I actually think sometimes," he glared at the ground under his feet. "I mean, how do you handle it, Zeus? The lusts for power… lusts to take control and become a ruler yourself."

Demeter looked at Theron carefully, "Lusts to take control?"

Theron sighed, "Yes, sister. I sometimes find myself wanting to kill our Father and become King. What stays my hand is the knowledge that with me in charge, Othrys will be wrecked within the first week."

"You can't be that bad," Poseidon grinned.

Theron laughed, "Kronos let me be King or a day so I would know what it was like – personally I just think he was sick of it himself and wanted to watch whilst someone else did everything for a change. What happened was the first Greek fire bomb setting fire to the kitchen."

"A Greek fire bomb in the kitchen?" Hera asked incredulously, "What happened?"

"Kronos refused to let me within fifty yards of the kitchen for several years," Theron grinned, "and the cooks kicked me out of the kitchen every time I went there." The gods laughed as Theron sniffed indignantly, "Kronos never let me be King ever again and instead decided to teach me why to not summon electricity in the kitchens whilst I was only trying to help cook something."

"What were you trying to cook if you made Greek fire?" Poseidon asked in amusement.

Theron shrugged. "How was I to know I was going to make Greek fire?"

The gods' eyes widened as they emerged into a cavern made of marble. The walls were engraved with images of the thirteen Titans of the council. Theron rolled his eyes when he saw the exaggeration of the images. In one of the scenes Theron and Kronos had locked their weapons together and were visibly straining against the other in an attempt at overpowering the other. Another image showed Theron as he created the first natural disaster known to mankind, the extinction of the dinosaurs – the first monsters.

Floating in the very middle of the intricately made cave was the blade of a sword. The Titans' Blade was made of Ancient Othryian Iron and along the steel were the marks of the thirteen Titans that had made it.

Hera started to step towards it, but Theron quickly stopped her. "Wait," he murmured and looked around for something to throw. He turned his attention to the ground and willed a stone to rise. Theron grabbed it and threw it on the floor across the room. Immediately a roar filled the cavern and a black shape detached itself from the shadows. Theron started walking towards the massive dragon that loomed in front of them as he spoke in the Old Tongue.

Eventually the dragon lowered his head and backed away slightly. Theron inclined his head, "Ator, I would be honoured if you could send word to your brethren in Tartarus. We are in need of their assistance. Also the half-bloods in the Pit will need help getting out – if they are still alive."

Ator snorted and smoke enveloped Theron. The Titans Prince sighed, "Yes, I know your duty is to defend the Blade, but we are no longer in need of your help up here. I am sure your brothers and sisters would appreciate your arrival."

Ator melted into the shadows and shadow travelled down to Tartarus. Theron sighed, "Damned fussy dragon."

"What – or who – was that?" Hera asked.

Theron grinned, "One of the original Elder Dragons. There are seven of them: Ator – who you just met - , Favnir, Lagiocrus, Hirador, Zoralth, Serelath, and Kisenth."

"Elder Dragons?" Demeter frowned, "I've never heard of them before."

"Not many have," Theron nodded, "they are the elder cousins of Drakons and Dragons, and they are very demanding. I do not recommend getting in an argument with them – they are very temperamental. Anyway," Theron grinned as he turned his attention back to the Blade, "let us get what we came here for."

"Why did you want us to come?" Hades asked.

"There is security on the Blade to stop anyone from taking it." Theron explained as he started walking towards the weapon, "I believe Oceanus set an enchantment that flooded this chamber – that is why you are here, Poseidon. Hyperion – as usual – was a little fire happy. Kronos set up arrows to fire that you would have to stop in time. Iapetus planned for undead warriors to rise. Krios messed about with the stars and placed some down here somewhere that would explode, and Koios made sure that the weapon could only be picked up by one of the thirteen Titans. I will be struggling to stop the arrows so all of you will have to do the rest whilst I grab the Blade."

"Why don't you tell Kronos?" Hestia asked, "About your lusts for power."

Theron raised an eyebrow. "Tell our Father that I have urges to cut off his head and take his throne?" He snorted, "Gee, that sounds like an absolutely terrible idea."

"No need to be sarcastic. I was only trying to help," Hestia muttered.

Theron took a breath. "Sorry, sister, it is just Father fears the prophecy from Ouranos is incomplete."

"And do you think so?" Hera asked.

Theron stopped walking as they reached the Blade. "I think, and hope, that it is complete." He grinned and reached towards the weapon, "Ready?"

His siblings nodded and Theron moved his hand closer to the Blade, activating the security. Arrows shot out of the walls as water bubbled up through the floor. Theron concentrated on stopping the arrows, but quickly realised that his powers over time were too weak. He settled for slowing the arrows down and grabbed the Blade as Hestia and Poseidon stopped the fire and water rearing towards them.

Zeus watched around for the explosions that marked the stars Krios had put in the cavern, but there were none. Theron studied the Blade for several moments before he sheathed it at his side in the sheath that had appeared when he picked it up. There was a loud rumble above them, followed immediately by a star imploding.

Theron cursed, "I have to give credit to Krios, as he definitely knows how to sow mayhem." He turned and ran for the exit with his siblings running behind him. Hades attempted to slow down the rubble with his control over the earth as Zeus used the winds to blow it off course slightly. Poseidon and Hestia made a path for the seven of them and Theron kept the arrows moving in slow motion.

Theron laughed as he looked back and saw the cavern collapse inward as they sped into the tunnel. They ran the entire length of the tunnel and he grinned as the entire structure started collapsing around them. It reminded him of when Othrys was falling apart and the Titans were scrabbling madly as they attempted to get out.

It was only when he had to duck to avoid having marble fall on him that Theron became serious. Cracks raced past them, streaking across the walls and racing toward the stairs about a hundred yards in front of them. Theron dropped back and his form shuddered as he morphed into a DireWolf. He charged up behind Hera and Demeter, knocking their legs out from under them. The two goddesses shouted in surprise as Theron took off with them on his back. Theron bounded towards the stairs and leapt up them with his sisters desperately hanging onto him.

Theron jumped up into the throne room, startling all the demigods and gods, along with Krios who had appeared in sea water with a large gash across his chest. Krios was sitting up against his throne and Theron glanced at him before diving back into the vault to get more of his siblings out. He decided that since Hades was more used to being underground he would leave the god of the dead until last.

Poseidon and Hestia were running as fast as they could and Zeus was flying along as an eagle beside them. Theron shot past Poseidon and the god grabbed him, swinging himself up onto his back. Poseidon leaned forward like Theron was a racehorse (which the Titan wasn't too pleased about), and reached down to pick up Hestia and deposit her behind him. Theron raced forward with Zeus flying above him as the floor buckled and cracked beneath his paws. Theron jumped to the side as a section of the floor collapsed. His paws drummed against the marble floor as he neared the stairs and they broke apart, falling down into Tartarus.

Theron jumped for the ledge several dozen feet away and above them. Poseidon and Hestia slipped off as soon as he landed. Theron quickly leapt back into the tunnel to get Hades and found the god a hundred feet away. Dust rained down on them and part of the ceiling fell above Theron. The Titan Prince raced to Hades who gratefully swung himself up. Theron dug his claws into the floor and charged towards the gap in front of them.

"You will have to jump," Theron ordered.

"What?" Hades asked incredulously, "Are you crazy?"

"No," Theron panted, "and unless you wish to fall into Tartarus you will listen to me."

Hades stood up slightly as they neared the gap, and Theron jumped. The god of the dead jumped off Theron's back as Theron was at the highest point of the jump. Theron immediately shifted into his mortal form as Hades managed to safely get into the throne room.

Theron unsheathed the Blade and his left hand scrabbled for a handhold as he fell. It was the Blade that saved Theron. He stabbed it into a crack where it slid down for several yards until lodging in the wall (in sword form) and jerking to a stop.

Theron was hanging nearly fifty yards below the floor of Othrys with a one-way ticket to Tartarus beneath him. Hades' head peered down the hole and Theron idly noted that the god looked worried.

"Are you alright?" Hades called down. Yes, Theron decided, he was definitely worried.

Theron looked down into the inky blackness, and then back up to Hades. "I am hanging above an entrance to Tartarus, brother. What do you think?"

Hades frowned. "None of us can help you – Tartarus' influence is too great."

Theron sighed. There were only a handful of options available, and all of which were certifiably insane.

The Titan Prince looked down into the gaping pit below him and took a shaky breath. Theron had to somehow attract Tartarus' attention, and he wasn't looking forward to it. Sure, him and Tartarus were on friendly terms, but the Primordial terrified the ichor out of Theron and enjoyed toying with him.

The Titans' Blade started to slip down slightly and Theron slid closer as he began to feel the power of the Pit pulling him towards it and weighing him down. A golden comet tail trailed out of Theron and descended into the throat of the pit. Theron's grip slackened as Tartarus attempted to pull him down, and he could hear the gods and several Titans shouting in alarm.

His energy started to leave him and he could hear Gaea's laughter. "Pull him, Tartarus! Do not let him escape!" Her serene face appeared in the rock in front of him, "You see, grandson? I always win."

Theron punched her in the face. "You speak too much," he growled angrily, "I am not finished yet."

"Then perhaps I should speed up your fall?" Gaea asked mockingly and the rock the Blade was embedded in started to turn to quicksand. The Blade slid down several yards and Theron felt Tartarus give a tug at the same time. His right hand was forced off the Titans' Blade. Theron threw his left hand up and grabbed a piece of rock as time seemed to slow; he couldn't let Gaea get the Blade.

Theron desperately reached to the sword as the small ledge he was hanging from crumbled under his weight. He managed to grab the blade part of the sword with his right hand, and cut his hand as he fell with the Blade in his grasp.

The weapon pulsed with light as his ichor stained the blade. "Finally," the Blade hummed with energy, "after nearly two billion years, we wake."


Next chapter -

Sorry it was up so late, my new story 'Confused by Time' sort of took over for a few days as I had some inspiration. Anyway, what do you think of the Titans' Blade?