Narrator / December 5th
At this rate, the demigods weren't going to last long. Layton was attempting to get the sealing spell ready, but he was having difficult focusing as his head pounded and his vision was dizzy from Majin Kai's headbutt.
Nico kept trying to decapitate Majin Kai, but his sword kept bouncing off upon impact. After a few tries, he gave up and mostly went on the defense. In fact, all four demigods were on the defense as Majin Kai would quickly lunge around and attack each of them in turns, switching when one got knocked down.
Hazel and Leo protected Frank from any stray ki blasts that Majin Kai fired off, and it was good thing because one had nearly nailed Frank in the face, but Leo blasted it with fire and stopped it midair.
Vibranium also didn't seem to be a problem for Majin Kai. Each punch he landed would cause it to become ever so slightly dented, and the damage was going to add up over time. On top of that, the Majin seemed to be extremely skill in hand-to-hand combat, so there wasn't much stopping him from pummeling one of the demigod's armor.
Percy and Jason walked over to Frank and the others, the storm floating in between their extended palms that they had out to their side. Annabeth and Piper followed after.
"Looks like it's not going to well. Wish I could help" Percy frowned
"We're all stuck here until Layton gets the seal. But it looks like he's having trouble..." Hazel said
"He does seem out of focus" Jason agreed
"Well he took this bad headbutt from Majin Kai. He must be feeling the after-nausea" Frank said
Vines erupted from the ground in front of Victor in a defensive position like a kraken, whipping forward when Majin Kai attempted to step forward. The Majin contorted into a small blob and then jumped over the vines, landing behind Victor and returning to his normal shape. He fired off a large ki blast that hit Victor with an explosion.
Ryan and Chloe quickly stepped in to defend their friend, but Majin Kai quickly out-boxed them and quickly began to bury them with punches, dodging by retreating into goo and hopping around the place whenever he was threatened with an attack.
"Hold the lamp Leo, I've got to at least try" Frank said
"Me too" Hazel pulled out her cavalry sword
"Good luck I guess" Leo replied, taking hold of the lamp and hiding it behind his back
Frank transformed into an eagle and swooped in, momentarily distracting Majin Kai, like a moth would to a child. Using the distraction, Hazel managed to decapitate the demon.
"You can keep trying useless tactics or die" Majin Kai picked up his head and placed it on his head
Hazel backed up and Frank landed, transforming into a grizzly bear. He swiped his paw at Majin Kai and made three large scratches in his soft skin, but the demon counterattacked with a nasty gut punch that forced Frank back into a human. Hazel tried going for another swing of her sword, but Majin Kai caught her wrist and tripped her, making her land on her back.
Then, Majin Kai did what they all feared most. He raised his hand up to the sky and a large explosion of ki went off, leaving the other demigods blinded as to if their friends survived or not.
"No..." Leo said under his breath
The smoke cleared, and the demigods had survived, but barely. Ryan, Chloe, and Victor were all most likely unconscious - not moving on the ground - and their armor was beaten up. Frank had transformed into something large to shield him and Hazel, but they were both rendered out of battle.
That damned prophecy... it's not working Layton thought as a thousand ideas raced his mind. Pure one... pure... not pure-hearted then because Percy failed. It's gotta be... pure evil. Its worth a shot...
Majin Kai walked over and picked up Frank by the hair, placing his palm on his face and ready to kill him with a blast of ki. Percy was about to drop the storm and jump in, but gravity did a momentary double-take that flipped it upside down. Majin Kai dropped Frank in confusion and gravity retreated to normal.
"You cannot beat me with magic, demigod. Xander has taught me all the counters" the Majin said
"That's good, because I'm not Xander" Layton replied
The Majin scoffed but then grinned, firing off a blast of ki. Layton put up a barrier and it shatter upon impact, but the shards of glass quickly shot at Majin Kai like bullets and they all pierced him.
"Xander got me working on my illusions. Hope you like it"
Majin Kai suddenly found himself in a dark room, alone. Pistons shot out of the wall and began to bounce him around like he was the ball in a pinball machine. After a few moments, the pistons stop and one shot up from the ground beneath him, sending him crashing through the roof.
Gravity flipped upside down and he was standing in another room again that was a blinding white. Then, water poured from nowhere until the Majin was standing in an empty sea. Around his feet, shadows circled around him. Three sharks erupted from the sea and tackled the demon, biting away at him like he was their latest meal. A shockwave of ki was sent out from the Majin, disintegrating the sharks.
A water spiral shot upward and covered Majin Kai. Sharp shurikens of pure water from in the cylindrical walls and shot around, bouncing off the walls and continuously cutting up the Majin's skin. The spiral of water dropped and gravity flipped upside down once more. Majin Kai fell for what seemed like ages until he bursted through the ground and found himself back in reality.
"Pointless!" Majin Kai exclaimed
"Wrong" Layton said
The sealing technique bursted out of Layton's hands and a green spiral of energy absorbed Majin Kai, swirling him around like he was a part of a tornado. The swirl curved up and then down, entering the lamp that Leo held out. Percy and Jason cautiously lowered the storm until it boxed the lamp with a satisfying click sound.
For a few moments, there was no movement and the demigods thought they had won, but Majin Kai was stubborn and the lamp began to shake violently.
"What do we do? He's going to break free" Jason asked
"We enter the lamp and beat him up" Layton figured
"Then we won't be able to escape" Percy said
"I can get us in and out, but we aren't leaving unless Majin Kai goes down" Layton assured. "Only one other person fits though"
"Take me in" Percy volunteered
The lamp looked it was second from breaking as Leo struggled to keep it in his hands as it jittered around violently.
"I guess there's no time to argue. Go get him Seaweed Brain" Annabeth said and gave him a traditional good luck kiss
Layton casted a smaller version of the sealing spell and the two quickly found themselves on that same beach where they both had their first fight with Xander and Majin Kai respectively.
"You! Let me out!" Majin Kai demanded
"We're here to do exactly the opposite" Percy shook his head and uncapped Riptide
"He's vulnerable in here. Any limb that gets severed is permanent" Layton explained
"So we chop him to pieces. Just like how Zeus did to Kronos" Percy said
"Just like" Layton agreed
"You both will die in here, and I will escape. Your friends will have no mercy" Majin Kai said, lunging forward
Layton caught his wrist and Percy swiped his sword, only barely missing as Majin Kai contorted his shape to dodge. The Majin turned into a pile of goo that hopped around the scene violently, until deciding to spring at Layton and land a big punch to the face that worsened his nausea.
Percy stepped forward and slashed Majin Kai's chest, making a permanent indent in it. He then stepped inside his guard and chopped of his right hand, which had attempted to hit him square in the face.
Majin Kai scowled at the sight and shouted in frustration. The sound echoed and boomed in Percy's face, making him drop his sword and covered his ears. The Majin grinned at the sight of his trick working and gutted Percy, sending him flying into the sea.
"So we're one hand in" Percy said as he got up
"He's got a weapon though" Layton warned as Majin Kai picked up Riptide. "My magic doesn't work in here, so I can't bring us some"
"Fine by me"
Water crawled up Percy's clothing until they reached his palm, and a sword made of pure solidified water formed. Majin Kai charged in and violently slashed away, but Percy was the better swordsmen and parried his strikes. Chains made of water erupted from behind Majin Kai, summoned by Layton, holding him in place. Percy went for the deception but Majin Kai shrunk to two feet to dodge and release himself, and then back to somewhere in between five and six feet.
Layton fired one of his phantom shockwaves by punching the air in front of him, and the attack his Majin Kai's back, making him stumble momentarily and drop Riptide. Percy lunged in and stabbed his sword straight through the Majin's chest.
"It's over" Percy declared as Majin Kai stared down with actual fear at the sight of the water-sword piercing his chest. "You won't be destroying any cities, and you definitely won't be absorbing any gods"
"I... I hunger for gods" Majin Kai mumbled
"Well there's no food" Percy pushed the sword deeper and the Majin grunted heavily. "You said something about wanting to be the strongest in the universe. Well, you can be the strongest here"
"You don't understand... the gods..." Majin Kai's eyes fluttered as he struggled for consciousness
"It's you who doesn't understand. You said the gods are bad rulers, but you're the one who wants to kill all the mortals as soon as your done with them" Percy said
"Finish him Percy" Layton insisted
"Not yet" Percy shook his head. "He'll die, eventually"
"I... Gaea... will rise" Majin Kai said
"You can tell Gaea when you die that she's isn't going to win, and that you failed" Percy replied, pushing the sword straight through so that the blade completely sticked out the back of his chest. "Tell Gaea not to bother waking up"
"Gaea will rise" Majin Kai repeated
"No, tell her not to. We'll kill her too" Percy said
"You demigods are fools" Majin Kai whispered. "They think they're bigger... than they actually are. You all are just pawns... food... playthings. And worst of all, they always mess up in the end"
"What are you talking about?" Percy demanded
"They always... always... mess up... just like you"
"Explain" Percy ordered
"You..." Majin Kai said quietly but then spoke in a normal pitched and violent tone, "Should have cut my head off!"
Majin Kai's remaining hand smashed against Percy's cheek, most likely breaking the bones there. He pulled out the water sword and slashed it, cutting Percy in that same right-cheek, making it cut open and drip with blood that was beginning to stain the sea.
Layton attempted to disarm Majin Kai, but the demon grabbed his face and pushed him underwater, slowly drowning him. Layton kicked and hit Majin Kai in the chest where the slit of missing skin was, and the Majin stumbled back. Percy was being healed by the water, but they weren't catching up to meet his injuries.
"I will kill the gods! Starting with Poseidon! When I do, you demigods will face my wrath"
Annabeth
"What's going on in there?..." I said worryingly
By now, we were all sitting on the ground, the lamp in the middle of all of us. It's been fifteen minutes since they entered the lamp, and no progress has been shown.
"Maybe they're stuck in there after all" Hazel guessed. "Meaning we would need to break the lamp, and you know what that would do..."
Suddenly, a bright light escaped the lamp. Layton and Percy spilled out onto the floor, but Majin Kai was there too. We quickly stood up and got ourselves ready for a fight, but the demon simply turned around and began to walk away.
"I will kill you all later, once I find Mount Olympus"
The Majin disappeared into black smoke, and we had lost.
"Oh gods, Percy" I said as I noticed his right-cheek. "What happened?"
"I messed up" He shook his head, disappointed in himself. "I tried trash-talking him into telling Gaea to not wake up, but he caught me off guard"
"We have to get you back to the ship. That's not looking good" I used my sleeve to wipe blood off his cheek and kept it there to stop any further bleeding
"Majin Kai... he escaped" Layton said. "I don't know what he's going to do, but it's not going to be pretty..."
"He's clearly focused on absorbing the gods now. He said he's going for Poseidon first..." Percy scowled
"Can you warn him?" Jason asked
Percy shook his head. "No. I haven't been able to since Zeus shut off contact with demigods..."
"And we would tell Hera, but we can't for that same reason" Chloe said
"Why... Why'd he keep us alive? Not that I'm complaining" Leo questioned
"Must have something to do with my trash-talk. He wants to absorb the Olympians and then rub it in our faces before killing us... something I failed to" Percy said
"It's ok Percy. You did your best" I replied
"For now, let's get that statue" Jason said
Time Skip
"Bacchus said something about how my voyage was going to be harder than I expected. Not I know why" Percy said
"I don't know what he's telling us for. Roman gods aren't safe from Majin Kai either" Jason pointed out. "At least I think so"
"So how do we grab this statue anyways?" Piper asked
"Well, we should probably-"
Suddenly, a spider silk shot out from the pit and wrapped around my waist. The chamber groaned and the The Athena Parthenos titled onto one side - its head catching on one of Arachne's support cables from before.
"We have to secure it!" I said
"Zhang, get me to the helm!" Leo said
Frank transformed into an eagle and soared them both up to the ship. Jason wrapped his arm around Piper and summoned the wind to shoot them into the air.
"Floor's not gonna last" Hazel said. "The rest of us need to get up to the ladder"
Percy grabbed my hand. "It's fine, though I don't know where the silk came from"
Suddenly, something tugged on me and dragged me toward the pit. Percy lunged after and grabbed my arm, but the momentum began to carry him along.
"Help them!" Hazel called
My legs went over the edge of the pit, and I messed up as well - I should have cut it when it first got me.
"I can't reach my sword" Percy said as he used two hands to try and pull me back, knowing one hand would instantly leave me falling
We slipped over the edge, Percy falling with me. I slammed against something, and my vision was filled with darkness. We had fallen partway into the pit and were now dangling over the voice. Percy gripped a ledge about fifteen feet below the top of the chasm.
A chain, like an anchor, shot out and dropped into the pit, wrapping itself around Percy's wrist that was holding the chasm. A force began to pull us up, but it wasn't working. Nico leaned over the edge and thrusted his hand out, but it was too far away, even with the added boost of the chain.
"Let me go Percy, you can save yourself" I insisted
"Never" He shook his head and then turned to Nico. "Nico, get to the other side! We'll meet you there"
"But Percy-"
"Just get them there!" Percy shouted
Below us, a voice taunted us with a menacing laugh. Arachne had been holding on this entire time, waiting for us to come back so that she could pull me into the pit.
"Such beautiful sacrifices for the goddess"
"Nico!" Percy said
"I... I will" Nico agreed
"You're not falling yet" Layton said, appearing next to Nico. "Don't let go. Don't fall"
"It's not working Layton. Just let go, please" Percy pleaded
"I can't let go" Layton grit his teeth. "I'm an assassin Percy - one that's never failed my job. I've killed nearly three thousand people, so don't make pulling two people up from a pit hard"
The chain rustled and a small crack was formed in the middle. Soon, it was going to snap and drop us in.
"We stay together at all costs" Percy said. "You're not getting away from me... not again"
"As long as we're together" I agreed
"Hey, let go" Percy told Layton with a forced smile. "You didn't fail. Just let us go..."
"If you die, I'm never letting you live it down" Layton sighed and let go
Together, we fell holding hands into the infinite darkness.
December 14th
I remember Hesiod, the old Greek poet, who speculated it would take nine days to fall from Earth to Tartarus. He wasn't wrong, but at least it didn't feel that way. I had lost track after a bit, but I know that we had been holding hands the whole day through. Now, Percy pulled me closed and hugged me tight as the air became hotter and damper, like we were plummeting through the throat of a dragon.
The darkness took on a grey-red tinge, and the heat grew to a higher intensity. Suddenly, the chute we had been falling through opened up into a vast cavern. It was so big that all of Manhattan could probably fit inside it, and I still couldn't see its full extent.
To the left, the ground dropped in a series of cliffs, like giant steps that led deeper into the abyss. Directly below us, there was a pool of glittering black liquid.
"Percy! Water!" I shouted into his ear
I gestured around frantically. Percy's face was hard to see with the dim light, but he looked shocked. The river hurled towards us, and the water erupted with a massive geyser, swallowing us up whole. Even though the impact didn't kill me, the cold almost did.
I started to sink, and strange whispering began to play in my ears that was worse than the cold.
"What's the point in struggling? You're already dead, and you'll never leave here"
Percy gripped my hand and and brought me back to reality. Together, we kicked back upward and broke the surface. I gasped and the water began to swirl around us - meaning Percy had created a whirlpool to buoy us up.
"Land... sideways" I croaked
"Pointless" Percy shook his head, stopping in place and beginning to sink
"Percy! The river is messing with your mind!" I shrieked. "It's called the Cocytus. It's made out of pure misery"
"Misery" He nodded his head
"Fight it Percy!"
I kicked and struggled, trying to keep us above the surface. If we died here, I would have a wacky gravestone and a laughing Gaea at my funeral. Annabeth Chase, died trying to keep a son of Poseidon from drowning.
"Hey, Percy. Tell me about New Rome. What were your plans?" I asked him
"New Rome? For us..."
"You said we could have future there together, so tell me about it"
"Architecture... thought you might like it. All the houses and parks. And there was this really cool fountain I wanted to show you, but Layton broke it"
"And College? Can we go there together?"
"Yeah"
"What would you study?"
"I don't know..."
"You could try marine science or oceanography" I suggested
"How about something like surfing" He said
I laughed and used the last of my strength to reach the riverbank. I hauled the two of us onto the shore, and we collapsed onto the dark sand. Heavy footsteps approach and my heart dropped at the fact we were most likely about to be attacked already.
"Annabeth Chase. Percy Jackson. This was not how I wanted to meet you. But here we are" Syn said
The End