Ch51
"Not so tough now are you?" The green haired girl named Alex said as she slapped her again.
Annabeth glared at the girl as she ignored the pain from the slap, she would not give the enemy the satisfaction of getting a reaction out of her. She was currently bound and tied to a lamppost in front of a bunch of demigods and monsters.
"Now Alex that's not how we treat a potential recruit," Kronos said as he approached her with a dark smile on his face. Annabeth felt his presence and her body shook, I have to be strong I must not allow him to trick me. "Now everyone look!" Kronos said to his army. Annabeth ignored the jeers from the enemy demigods.
"As some of you may know you were not deemed worthy of being claimed by Olympus," Kronos said. "They deemed you worthless, not worthy to even be claimed yet they still expected you all to be a part of their family and obey them." She heard booing from the crowds as she looked to the grown but Alex grabbed her hair and forced her to meet the eyes of Kronos's army. They were all glaring at her with nothing short of contempt.
"Yet I guess even family bonds mean nothing," Kronos said to the crowd. "As some of you may know her cousin stayed at the camp loyally by her side despite not being claimed. However, even family bonds mean nothing as she struck him and told him to leave the camp. The only family she had she tossed away because she was claimed by a major Olympian and he was not claimed by any," Kronos said in a dramatic tone. "I guess that is how the Olympians treat those they deem not worthy."
Annabeth felt as if a dagger had been stabbed in her back as she forced herself to not cry. The crowd of demigods cursed at her and threw insults at her but she refused to give them what they wanted. The spy must have seen me fight with Magnus; this is my fault I have only myself to blame for that outburst. At that moment she would have given anything to take back the things she said to both Percy and Magnus.
"But do not fear for we will soon take down Olympus," Kronos said as he raised his scythe. The crowd cheered and Kronos then dismissed them. Annabeth felt herself get tied moved to a location in Kronos's tent where she was strapped down to a bed.
She tried to move but the binding was too tight, besides even if she were to break free how would she be able to get out of the tent and camp? She was effectively trapped; Percy will come I know it she told herself. Magnus wherever you are please forgive me. She didn't know where her cousin was but she knew he would come too.
After a while the door opened and Luke, no Kronos entered the room. "Hello dear," he said in a smooth voice. "I hope you are enjoying your stay."
"Luke fight him!" She yelled. "Don't do this!"
Kronos only laughed but she swore she saw his eye twitch for a second, "He cannot hear you, besides why not join him?"
"I'll never join you," she spat.
"Oh and why not? Olympus has done nothing to hurt you and your cousin and drive a wedge between you two," Kronos said in a sympathetic tone.
"You know nothing about us," she said as she glared at Kronos.
Kronos only laughed, "Really? I would think that you would have no reason to trust them after all they are the reason he cannot tell you the truth about his birth, well the son of Poseidon knows but they would not let them tell you."
Her eyes widened, "What do you mean?" She said in a tone that was barely a whisper.
She wished she had said nothing but it just sort of came out. Kronos stared at her with a cruel smile, "Oh you poor girl they made the son of Poseidon and your cousin swear on the Styx to not tell you the truth." She only stared at Kronos as she felt her heart beat rapidly. "The truth on why your cousin is different from you."
Kronos sighed, "I would tell you too but even I am bound by certain laws. But I will tell you this, Western Civilization is held up by many pillars Olympus is one and when I am done with it the other pillars will fall," he said as he clenched his fist.
"What does that mean?" She asked as she watched Kronos smile.
"You are the daughter of Athena I am sure you could figure it out," Kronos said as a knock came at the door. "Oh look you have a guest," he said with a smile. "I'll leave you two be."
She was going to ask what he meant by that but her eyes widened when she saw who opened the door, "Magnus!" She said as she looked at her cousin in the doorway.
He looked just as she had left, his same long blonde hair and orange t shirt underneath a light jacket. "Hello Annabeth," he said with a smile as he approached her.
She felt her heart race yet she could feel that something was wrong. "Wh-What are you doing here?" She asked.
Magnus smiled at her, "I did what you told me to. I left the camp, Kronos says I belong here and will allow us to be a family again."
No, he can't be the spy she looked up at her cousin who lifted her chin. "Magnus why," she muttered.
Magnus then reached down to her neck and pulled up her necklace. She saw him lift up his mother's wedding ring which she put on it before she left the camp. "Annabeth I did it for you," he said with a smile as he held the ring. "Kronos will protect us; the Gods have done nothing for us."
She only stared in shock; she couldn't believe what her cousin was saying. Magnus removed the necklace from her neck, she didn't refuse. She watched him look at his mother's ring, "Thanks to Kronos soon we will be a family again. But I need to know one thing," he said while looking at her. His face was smiling but it looked wrong, "How was Percy's swim in the Styx?"
She felt a shock run through her body as she stared at Magnus, "What?" Something did not feel right, she could feel it in every fiber of her body.
"I was just curious on how his swim was," Magnus said as he moved closer to her and raised her chin so that their eyes were meeting.
She looked into her cousin's eyes but they were all wrong, they did not have his kindness. This is a trap!. "You aren't Magnus," she whispered.
"What do you mean of course I am," Her cousin said with a frown.
"No, my cousin is a good person," she said as she glared at her cousin's cold face. "He would never hurt people or join Kronos and he would never betray the people he cares about," she yelled.
Magnus laughed but it wasn't his laugh. Slowly her cousin's form changed and before she knew it that green haired girl Alex stood in front of her laughing, "Well it was worth a try," Alex sneered.
"How dare you," she spat as she glared at Alex. How is she able to do that? Is she a demigod? If so who is her parent?
"Oh calm down you looked so happy a minute ago," Alex said with a smile as she grabbed her chin.
She pulled her face away, "Don't touch me you freak."
However, Alex's face contorted with anger at the mention of the word freak and she felt her fist in her gut. She coughed and glared at the green haired girl, "I am not a freak, a normie like you would never understand," Alex said in a low growl. "Lord Kronos will eventually make you and all of your friends pay," she said as she struck her again.
Annabeth did her best to not show emotion as she felt Alex's fists against her. "How about this," Alex said. "Tell me where your friend's weak spot is and Lord Kronos may show mercy to you and your cousin."
"As if I would believe any promise from Kronos," She spat as she glared at Alex.
Alex sighed, "Very well then I guess we will have to do it the hard way."
Annabeth watched as Alex's body shimmered and slowly changed. Her eyes widened as Alex's form changed into Percy. Percy stood in front of her and his smile was cruel and unlike him. No its not him she thought as Alex as Percy gripped her throat.
"Now try to remember," Alex said in Percy's voice. She resisted the fingers on her throat as she glared at the fake Percy in front of her. "Where did I say my spot was?"
Annabeth glared at the fake Percy; his sea green eyes were cruel. "Like I would know," she said as she glared at him.
The fake Percy's face became cold as she felt Percy slap her again. "Oh I doubt that. Lets try to help you remember," Percy said with a cruel smile. Percy then struck her again but she would not give this imposter the benefit of getting a response out of her. Its not Percy this is an imposter she told herself as the fake Percy slapped her again.
"Drop dead. Even if I did know I would never tell you," she said as she glared at the fake Percy.
The fake Percy laughed and slowly turned back to Alex, "Well then I guess I will have to resort to stronger measures." Alex then took out a knife, Annabeth felt her eyes widen as she slowly approached her.
However, the door opened and Kronos came back in, "That's enough Alex we will need her in one piece."
Alex sighed and bowed, "Yes, forgive me Lord Kronos."
Kronos nodded, "Good, we will get the information out of her if she knows it. However, we just remember that we need our hostage in one piece."
Alex nodded and stepped out of the way for Kronos to approach her. "Our spy has told us your friends miss you." Kronos then took out a necklace with a scythe on it. "You can't trust anyone these days, but my subjects know that they can trust me."
Annabeth glared at Kronos and said nothing. His words are lies, I will not be fooled by his trickery. But she knew that she would have to be careful of her own pride, after all, Kronos could easily trick her with anything. I have to be strong and have faith in them she thought as she thought of Magnus, Percy, and all of the other campers.
Kronos smiled at her, "Why do you fight? After all your friend Luke saw the light, if you were really his friend then you would join us," he said in a silky smooth voice.
Annabeth took a deep breath as she felt her heart rate increase. Kronos's words were like poisoned honey, she knew that she must not fall for them or listen to them. She thought of Percy and Magnus to prevent Kronos's words from trying to influence her.
"You work so hard to save Olympus yet what have they done for you?" Kronos said as he stared at her with his eyes. His words radiated throughout the room and for a second her heart skipped a beat as she heard Luke's voice. No I must not be deceived she thought as she shook her head.
Kronos smiled at her, "Poor girl, Luke is gone now. He gave up his body to me in order to fulfill his wishes. Why do you dishonor his memory by siding with Olympus?"
"Do not speak his name," she said as she glared at Kronos.
Kronos only laughed, "You have so much faith in Olympus yet it is their fault that your cousin and you are no longer close," he said in a smooth voice.
She shook her head as she felt the words vibrate through her. No do not listen I will not allow him to deceive me. "You tell only lies," she said.
Kronos laughed again, "Really? Then why has he been keeping the secret of his heritage from you? Don't get me wrong, it is true that there are laws but that doesn't mean they should interfere in your family," he said smoothly. "Because of Olympus your relationship with him declined."
She gulped as she felt her body shake as memories of Magnus filled her head. She knew he was hiding something but the feelings of hurt that she felt started to fill inside of her. "Yes I know how you feel," Kronos said smoothly. "You are hurt that you cousin who was like a sibling to you and your friend kept secrets from you." More memories filled her head of Percy and Magnus discussing something in secret but hiding it from her. She felt tears fall down her cheeks as her heart beat faster. "If you agree to help us then things will go back to normal," Kronos said.
"Normal?" She asked, her voice sounding as if it were in a daze.
"Yes dear normal," Kronos said with a smile. "You and your cousin wont be hiding anymore secrets from each other because of the Olympians. You will be like the old days."
"The old days," she mumbled as thoughts of her time with Magnus, Luke, and Thalia entered her head. No I must not be fooled! She shook her head and the memories disappeared. She glared at Kronos, "I don't know what you are talking about but I trust Magnus and I trust Percy." She looked defiantly at Kronos, "I trust them with my life and know that your promises are all false."
Kronos laughed, " False eh? Don't worry I won't kill you yet. You are too valuable to kill at the moment." Kronos then smiled at her, she shivered as she looked at the cruel look on Luke's face. "Don't worry your cousin and your other friends will soon meet their end. We have a special ally that will help us raise Olympus, one that even the son of Poseidon cannot take out," Kronos said with a smile.
Annabeth felt a chill down her spine as she looked at Kronos, "Do not underestimate Camp Half Blood."
Kronos laughed, "We will see about that. They soon may find themselves burnt to a crisp." Kronos then turned to leave with Alex, "But reflect on my words. I will take down Western Civilization and bring it to its knees and Olympus is but one step on that ladder."
She stared at them both as they exited. She was then left in the room alone tied to the bed as she thought of the words Kronos said. Olympus is one step in the ladder to take down Western Civilization. She shook his head. It must be some kind of trick.
Yet a part of her felt that something wasn't right about Kronos's words. Magnus's heritage? Does he know something? Her mind raced as she tried to think of something. When did this all start.
She took a deep breath as she tried to start when her cousin started to think about her cousin. It was after he and Percy saved me. During the meeting in Olympus he was weird then he, Percy, and Thalia had a private meeting.
She had tried to ask her cousin but looking back he definitely was hiding something when he brushed it off. Her mind then shifted to all the other strange behaviors she had witnessed from her cousin and Percy. Whatever happened in Olympus maybe they were forced to not tell me something.
A knot formed in her stomach as the thought. Gods no, he and Percy must have sworn on the Styx to keep whatever they were talking about a secret. She fought the urge to cry, she knew her cousin would tell her anything and if he had to keep a secret from her it was for a reason. I should've trusted you more Magnus, please forgive me.
But what about his parentage is so taboo? Her mind raced, why would the Olympians make him and Percy hide his heritage? She tried to think of a reason but couldn't, he wasn't a big three and none of the major Olympians matched the few powers he had seemed.
He can disarm people, it is similar to a tactic that children of Ares have and Magnus has always had been a great healer. But then again his disarming thing almost works like charm speak her mind raced by she could still not deduce who her cousin's parent was.
Then there is the sword Gram. It is from the story of Sigurd who slayed the dragon Fafnir She took a deep breath as she remembered the story she read. Sigurd had a tragic story with a Valkyrie named Brunhilda. But Valkyries are from Norse mythology why would he have a sword from another mythology.
She then looked at her necklace on the table. She could barely make out Magnus's mom's ring on her necklace. There was a rune on it and she could see it from where she was being held. Runes are also from Northern Europe and Magnus's mom had that same rune in her stuff dad said.
She felt her heart race as she remembered Kronos's words. Olympus isn't the only pillar of the West. She felt her eyes widen as the phrase repeated over and over in her head. An idea came to her head, what if the Olympians weren't the only gods?
"No," she muttered as a thought came into her head. It was a long shot but what if there was more outside of Olympus, that would explain the secrecy.
She shook her head, I don't care. He is my cousin and I know he will come to help us. She had a theory on her cousin's parentage but she wouldn't give Kronos the satisfaction of telling her. She was determined to see her cousin again and ask him about it.