The next time I saw Luke, his eyes were golden. Seeing them like that sent a horrible chill through my body because although they were an otherworldly kind of resplendent, they were cold, shallow and sharp, because it wasn't Luke at all. It was Kronos. The chill in the air told me before I'd even looked up to see him, and when he spoke it was with Luke's voice but that same grating edge reverberated behind the natural tone, like metal scraping against stone. I steeled my heart and my mind, swearing to not allow him any kind of access to my true thoughts and feelings. Along with everyone else, I knelt to the ground and lowered my head. Now, I never lower my head to anyone unless they had truly earned my respect, and those closest to me knew that. Luke did, and so when Kronos smirked at me, I felt like acid was being poured down my throat and left to gurgle in my stomach. He thought he'd won. "You may all leave, save for Nerida Jackson." I flinched instinctively when he spoke my name. I remained kneeling as everyone else left, seemingly rather keen to evacuate themselves from his presence as Kronos using Luke's form took his seat upon the throne that had resurrected itself just for him, though there was a second next to it that had once belonged to Rhea. "The attack upon Camp Half-Blood failed."
"We did not anticipate that the satyr would be blessed with the Gift of Pan." I stated calmly, having heard the report. After Kronos's rising which had been interrupted by Percy, Annabeth, Nico and the girl with them who was apparently named Elizabeth, Kronos had decided not to lead the vanguard after all and did not allow me to leave either. Perhaps he was still suspicious about my loyalty, but if he were then he did not outwardly show it.
"Indeed. We shall be prepared for it next time. My forces shall seek him out and destroy him first, so that the gift cannot be used again. We have since learned from the last war." Kronos muttered darkly, brooding upon his throne as I remained kneeling with my head bowed. "Oh, you may rise." Speaking as if he had only just noticed that I was still kneeling, Kronos flicked his golden gaze towards me. "What do you think, Nerida Jackson? You were once friends with the satyr responsible were you not?"
"I knew him, yes, but he was more my younger brother's friend than mine." I told him truthfully as I rose to my feet and focused on keeping a steady heartbeat. The one thing about being almost constantly exposed to Kronos's presence was…you gradually became used to it. You don't underestimate his power or the depth of his terrifying aura, but rather you learn how to navigate it so that you end up not permanently afraid of him, teaching yourself how to find your courage long enough when hear him to remain steadfast.
"What if I ordered you to kill him?" Unable to help it my face pulled itself into a scowl as a flash of obstinacy flared through me as I answered.
"Does it matter who kills him or how he dies?" At least this way I was giving no promises that I was going to kill Grover, because I would prefer not to. That billy-goat had grown on me. A smirk flickered upon Kronos's face and I felt further incensed, because that was Luke's face he was using, and he damn well knew it made me mad.
"Indeed." He made no further comment about Grover so I made a mental note to try and send word to Chiron about making sure that Grover was safe and protected. When the big war comes, Grover might be one of the things that turns the tide. "Still rejecting your true godly self, are you little half-blood?" Speaking with Kronos was always an unpleasant business. I told him coldly that I had no reason to accept my father's heritage when I had managed fine without him all through my life, even when blind. "Yes this is true…for a cursed child, you are surely one of the most powerful descendants of my sons." Drumming his fingers upon his throne, Kronos continued to regard me with something in his expression that unnerved me, like he was undressing me with his eyes and attempting to read my very soul. I felt naked in front of him, and that was more than a little embarrassing. "We will be returning to the Andromeda soon. We must begin amassing our forces once more to gather upon New York and strike Olympus. You have proven yourself to be reliable to some extent, Nerida Jackson. If you wish to continue living with the gifts I bestow upon you, then perhaps you should think about how best you can serve my cause to reclaim what is rightfully mine." A throne you stole from your father, another asshole, and proved yourself to be a jealous tyrant that ate your own children. If I had been one of the original gods, then I would have fought to cut you up into tiny pieces too. A cold laugh came from Kronos. "Luke is right, you do make funny faces. You wear your expressions too liberally, Nerida Jackson. You would do well to either temper your attitude, or better improve the mask you wear." Although my body went stone cold, I nodded my head obediently.
"Yes, my lord." I paused for a moment, considering for a bit before deciding to take a chance. "If you wish it, then I will lead part of your army in the assault against Olympus and New York." This pulled at Kronos's attention and curiosity, straightening a little in his seat as he asked why he should allow me to do that. "Because other than Luke, I am the best warrior you have with the greatest senses. I could fight and kill when I was still blind, I am only better now that I can see." This was a slight mistruth, because although I could see, it had now dulled my other senses, and now the skill I displayed was pure willpower and hard work from endless hours of training. My body was toughened by strain and limber from exercise, my fingers dextrous and strong to wield my weapons and my mind sharply honed to outthink and outmanoeuvre my opponents. Sometimes it was easier being blind, because without my sight to fool me, everything else came alive and my body would react upon its own. "Give me command of my own regiment, one I can build with warriors and creatures of my own choosing. Better yet if they are mounted, because there is no better flier in the air whilst on horseback than I."
"Yet your own mount left you, did it not?"
"Only because a giant tried to eat her. She's brave but she's not stupid." I told Kronos flatly and his face twisted into a horrible grin, not handsome at all. Not Luke.
"Very well, I shall consider it. Until then, you will continue to lead the training. Some of the younger half-bloods are falling behind. Remind them that if they do not keep up with the others, they will be made use of in other ways." Golden eyes flared maliciously. "Perhaps as dinner for the dracaenae?" Unable to do anything other than bow and agree, I was dismissed and allowed to leave though I could feel his eyes watching me as I went. Static from the constant storm tingled in my mouth as I left, doing my best to stay calm as I strode forwards whereby the ranks parted ways for me. Now that Luke was technically gone, I had been forced into the position he had vacated, a commander of the army but not yet a leader. Still. I had slain many of the monsters that proved too unruly to manage as warnings to others and this was my excuse whenever I had to explain to myself, though inwardly I always relished in the opportunity to think Kronos's ranks, even when it is only one monster at a time. I think Kronos actually admired my ruthlessness and violent tendencies when it came to discipline and never questioned it.
Now in a different part of the palace, I heard the sound of small feet come rushing towards me, and a group of young half-bloods, ranging from the pitiful age of ten all the way to fourteen, came running towards me from where they were camped, huddled together and always looking petrified. "Lily!" I smiled to them and opened my arms, placing my hands upon their shoulders as they crowded in close. "Are you okay? Did he tell you off?"
"No, we were just making a report." I assured them, looking to the youngest who was a ten year old girl we'd found running away from a wild and hungry harpy. I'd killed the monster and taken her in, having found several younger half-bloods in my 'recruiting' excursions, however before I could sneak them off to the camp and to Chiron, Kronos had discovered them and welcomed them into his ranks despite the fact they were only children. There they had been brainwashed to believe that the gods were the enemy and were always trying to shower all demigods in misery and kill them, so now they had taken up weapons and were desperately trying to learn how to fight well, though they were not as advanced as the rest of us because of how late they began, and the rest of us had either powerful parents that gave us innate strength and skill, or had at least a decade of experience fighting for our lives. "Have you eaten? It's almost time to go to sleep."
"It's cold up here."
"I know Molly, don't worry. Soon we'll be on the cruise ship down in the harbour there, and it'll be warm and comfortable. I'll kit out a suite just for you guys and I'll make sure the fridge and cupboard are always stashed with goodies. You'll be warm then." I promised them as I then herded them back to their camp where tents had been set up. There were three of them, and so the kids shared in pairs, two boys and four girls. They didn't like it up on the mountain summit and I couldn't blame them. Most of the time they had nightmares, so I tried to stay nearby when I could, or asked someone like Michael to watch over them whenever I was away. Now as a commander, I had certain freedoms that had been restricted before. I was allowed to travel a little for the sake of recruiting more allies to our cause, however during these times when I was not under watch by someone, having worked hard to seem trustworthy so that the leash had lessoned of late, I was actually recruiting allies for Camp Half-Blood and Olympus. My success had not been great and I always hid my identity, but I had managed to persuade a few minor deities to maintain their loyalties, using the story of Daedalus and how he had been betrayed by Kronos after being promised to be granted peace only to be thrown into the hands of his enemy, who sought eternal torment for him. It was one of my playing cards, the other was just beating the other being into submission. I'd only done this once or twice, but you'd be surprised how effective it was, and with my lack of patience and desperation to try and balance the scales between the gods and the Titans, I was running out of time.
Winter had already passed and I was eighteen, meaning that Percy would be sixteen at the end of summer and the prophecy would come to pass. It was certainly about him, everything was now beginning to come together. I had not seen Percy since that time in Daedalus's workshop, who I'd been sad to learn had decided to pass one, but at least it had been his choice, and I hoped Hades granted him mercy. I wanted to ask Nico if he knew, but we hadn't shared a dream since the last time we'd seen one another. I'd at least like to know if he made peace with Bianca and started eating properly. Thinking about Nico, I then turned to the little kids and listened to their breathing patterns. My ears were still keen and perceptive, able to pick out each separate pattern per kid and tell that they were now all asleep. They always slept easier when I was near. I like to think that at the very least they trusted me, so if I was to someday soon tell them that everything Kronos said had been a lie and that they needed to run and find somewhere safe to stay, they would believe me. None of them liked Kronos anyway, he terrified them though whenever he happened to inspect the troops, he'd always smile coldly at them like he was proud to have them here. I knew how he saw them. Tools. Cannon fodder. Nothing more than bags of flesh to be made useful one way or another. I was still dreading the moment he'd tell me one of them was not meeting his standard and that he required me to kill them, as they were no use.
The stress that had been collecting for the past two years or so was beginning to show on my face. My skin had lost the lustrous glow from Circe's facemask, my hair growing limp and greasy with permanent shadows hanging under my eyes whilst my cheeks were withdrawn and angular from weight loss. I miss dinners at camp, basically all you can eat barbeque and pizza. Here we didn't even get so much as a porkpie. At least the food was better on the cruise ship, so that was something to look forward to. I'd had enough of this mountain to last a lifetime, though I had to admit I was rather pleased with myself for the fact I had broken it somewhat when I'd lost my cool after hearing that Percy might be dead. It hadn't mended itself after that, so in the flawless black marble there were various cracks and fissures from my earthquake that had shook the entire mountain. Granted it also caused most of San Francisco to emergency evacuate its residents but no one got hurt. I'd manage to contain my rage to the mountain alone.
In the distant sky I saw a dim patch of colour against the immense black and grey, an orange and blue hue of twilight with a single star at its centre seemingly like a lone eye staring at me. I wonder if the gods could see us here or if the storm clouded their view? I remembered what Hermes had said to me, how that many of the gods were still uncertain of where my true loyalties lie. If they don't get the message after all I'm doing for them, then they deserved to be tossed down from their thrones. I'd even boot them off myself. I still had no love for them really, a mild tolerance perhaps for one or two, but I would rather they be in charge than this destructive and bloodthirsty bunch. It was bad enough that more titans were awakening one after the other. Several of them lounged around the Titan's Palace, often admiring the statues of themselves. I'd even overheard that some that had not participated in the last war had chosen their side, and deep in the depths of the ocean, Oceanus the Titan of the sea was fighting my father and all his armies. I wonder who was currently winning? I just hope dear old dad doesn't think about dragging Percy down there to help out. He's got enough of his own problems right now. Gods, I missed him so much. And mom. I'd been upset to miss another of his birthdays, as well as another year at camp. I never even got my bead for my second summer when we'd gone to get Grover and the Fleece from Polyphemus.
All I had was the one, and now it seemed rather pathetic considering I was eighteen now, and the number of years you were allowed to keep coming back to camp was limited. Generally people didn't stay after the age of eighteen because they were starting their new lives in the mortal world, with enough training to help them get by should they get attacked by some monsters. I'd missed out, and I doubt I'll get through this war and be allowed merrily back onto camp grounds. What if Chiron did not trust me? I couldn't bear the thought of him thinking of me as a traitor, which in some ways I was because in order to continue in Kronos's good faith, I had given up some information for him to use, though I tried to make it all rather generic, as well as serve under him as a commander and recruit allies to his cause. One bead. That would be my only keepsake from a camp that I had so fallen in love with. More than Olympus, it was Camp Half-Blood I wanted to protect, and I hoped that someday these kids might go there too. I'd want nothing more than to lead them past the Big House and show them the cabins, the training arena, the archery range, the pegasi stables and everything else we had to offer as well as the crazy cool creatures that lived there like the satyrs, the naiads and the dryads. I think they'd like it, especially Molly. Just as I was starting to grow warm from the fond thoughts and memories in my head, Ethan came towards me and murmured that Lord Kronos was calling me again. I scowled. "But I just left there."
"Well, he wants you back." Muttering under my breath, I got up and dusted myself off, glancing behind me before telling Ethan to watch the kids and come get me if there was a problem. He obeyed immediately and without complaints. Ethan and I got on alright, though I knew that he wasn't one who was yet on side to turn against Kronos. I already had Michael and several others engaged to defect the moment we got the chance, having carefully probed at people to figure out their mood when it came to our great and benevolent Lord of Time. Some were too afraid of him to say that they were willing to defect, so I left them alone. Maybe when the moment came, when the rest of us turned our weapons upon Kronos's army, they might rally with us. I seriously didn't want to fight any of these guys, so I was hoping to work as subtly as possible to try and win back their favour to at least throw down Kronos, even if they didn't do it for the gods. At the very least, they should do it for themselves, otherwise the bones of mortals and us demigods would build the throne that Kronos would seat himself upon, and then there would be no one left to challenge him thereafter. I had no idea what that asshole wanted with me now, but I knew better than to keep him waiting, so with a final grumble I stalked off to go find out what his grand lordship wanted this time.