The march was steady as the first battalion of monsters took the lead with none other than the minotaur marching ahead, acting as the battle commander for the monsters. I had almost attacked the monster on the spot as I recalled what it had done to my mom and almost killed Percy, but Kronos had assured me that we were both allies now and that he expected us to get along. The minotaur seemed as thrilled about it as I was. Now that I could see it, I was intensely grateful I hadn't seen it all that time ago, because it would have been far more terrifying to a fourteen year old girl who had never seen a real monster up close before. It was giant, smelly and snotty. Not a good combination. Its beady eyes glowered at me so I took great satisfaction of pointing Amaryllis at its chest and ordering it to start marching, because I was the one in charge here. For a moment its huge, meaty hand seemed to twitch as if considering taking its double headed axe and just swinging for me, but it thought better of it and simply huffed before lumbering away. Oh yeah. That one will definitely die for sure.
We began our march but I held up my fist to order my group to halt, all the demigods responding and pulling up their mounts so that they halted. Those that stayed with Kronos rode skeletal horses which I could not hear because they were dead and not true horses, but we rode actual mounts, either horses or pegasi, and although they were nervous and terrified of the monsters, I had talked to them at great length of what was going to happen, and I somehow managed to awaken their warhorse spirits so now they champed and stamped, eager and ready for the charge. As the monsters pressed forwards, Snowstorm descended from the sky and landed beside me as I remained stood on my feet, because of course there is no one else I would rather ride with into battle than Snowstorm herself. She whickered to me, bowing her head towards mine so that we were leaning against one another. Already the monsters seemed to be causing devastation on the Apollo archers who had been positioned here, pressing forwards and barely slowing down even as arrows rained upon them from above. It was now or never. Mounting up, I then turned Snowstorm around so that I could pace back and forth up and down the line, looking into the faces of my fellow half-bloods whilst trying to remain stoic and strong.
"This is it." I announced to them, Snowstorm halting so that I could address them. "No turning back now. It is an honour and a privilege to fight beside you all. If I do not see you at a feast of victory, then I shall gladly greet you in Elysium, my brothers and sisters in arms." Drawing Amaryllis, the trident shone brightly in my hand as if rising to the promise of battle, icy breaths radiating from the tips as I then grinned and thrust her high into the air and cried out with Snowstorm rearing boldly, casting her voice in a magnificent bellow as I rallied our spirits to the call of war. "FOR THE UNDETERMINED!"
"THE UNDETERMINED!"
"FOR ETERNAL GLORY!"
"FOR ETERNAL GLORY!"
"FOR NARNIA!"
"FOR…Narnia?" The last bit surprised a few of them, but I just couldn't resist it. I'd always wanted to yell that whilst charging off somewhere since I was a little kid and mom had read Percy and me the books and we'd watched the films, though I only listened because I couldn't see at the time. However as my laughter rolled over the ranks of confused demigods, Snowstorm turned and charged like a rising wave directly forwards and seeing me go fearlessly ahead, the others hurried to follow and chased after my laughter which raised their hopes and spirits. Twirling Amaryllis I held her ready with my shield in the other hand as I breathed, feeling everything around me seemingly sharpen into hyper focus and my muscles twitch in anticipation, already tense and ready to spring into action. In the sky I saw two pegasi descend towards the bridge and recognised Percy and Annabeth, my eyes watching them as they dismounted ahead of the monster army in order to help push them back. The monsters were not fazed by the sound of thunder rolling behind them, assuming that we were their reinforcements and so did not turn around or shift their focus, rather now rather intent on watching Percy as he challenged the minotaur who should really learn not to mess with us Jacksons. When we continued to gallop forwards without slowing or breaking stride, some of the monsters at the rear began to turn their heads in confusion, wondering what was happening but as a hellhound shifted its weight in order to bark in warning, my trident ploughed into its body and killed it directly as Snowstorm then threw herself into the lines of monsters.
They shrieked and wailed in confusion as they were carved up from behind, Michael and Hannah flanking me as we all held a solid line of cavalry which completely obliterated the ranks of monsters. There were over two hundred of them there. In a few heartbeats, that number was halved and the hooves of horses were kicking up a powdery yellow dust which was all that remained of the monsters we slew. The Apollo kids couldn't believe their eyes, staring with bows half raised ready to shoot until they realised that we were attacking our own allies, and as Percy once again killed the minotaur, he then turned in order to stare in bewildered shock. The phalanx of monsters were crippled and they broke formation but it was too late. They were pinned between demigods on all sides with no means to escape, so they fell either by arrow or sword until only a few remained. Leaning backwards to signal to Snowstorm I wanted her to slow down, she immediately knew what I wanted and with a toss of her glorious mane which shimmered despite the coating of yellow dust, she trotted towards Percy before then turning at an angle, allowing us to see each other. I pulled off my helmet and dropped it, letting it fall forgotten to the ground. "Hey little brother, did someone call for the cavalry?" I asked chirpily before swinging myself down and sheathing Amaryllis.
For the first time in over two years, Percy and I stood before one another with nothing between us, no deception or secrecy, no hidden agendas, just us and everything laid out bare before us. I could have been the dust from the monsters, but I could almost believe I saw a tear in his eyes. Next thing I knew he was hugging me and I choked on a sob, thinking to myself just how tall he had grown. Pretty much as tall as me. "Lily…I missed you so much. Don't ever leave again."
"I won't Perce. I'm back now, and I've brought some friends. We're with you until the end." I promised him as I held him as tightly as I could, practically squeezing the life out of one another. Finally. There was no greater feeling than being able to hold Percy freely without fearing what others might think or that my cover would be blown. Now it didn't matter, because I had turned my back on Kronos and was determined to see this battle through to the end, supporting Percy however I could. When we pulled apart I couldn't help but ruffle at his hair, seeing his goofy grin and loving him all the more for it, though I glanced over his shoulder and winked at Annabeth. "Hey, was my information useful?"
"Invaluable." She returned, giving me an easy and relaxed smile as the Apollo kids remained completely stunned. "It helped a lot. You risked practically everything to get it, and even more handing it over to us. Thank you." It was nice to be appreciated, so I tossed Annabeth a grin and was just about to tell Percy that we needed to secure the bridge somehow and get out of there when a chill suddenly clung to the air. I froze, a flash of fear overcoming me as I grasped hold of Percy and turned in order to see the other side of the bridge which led to Brooklyn, and was met by the enraged fury of Kronos's gaze. Even from this distance his look scorched my skin. I was a dead person walking, I could tell, but Kronos would want to kill me personally with his own bare hands in order to satisfy his rage at my betrayal. I'd played him, fooled him, tricked him for all this time and he had never caught on. Even if I died here, it would be my crowning achievement and I hoped I would pass down in memory for being the girl that fooled the great and powerful Kronos. Still, I wasn't hoping to die, so I quickly warned Percy what was coming but then an overwhelming pain grasped my eyes, making me cry out and drop to one knee as I clutched at them, the burning so intense that I wanted to claw them right out of my skull.
"Lily!" Percy grabbed hold of me but there was nothing he could do other than hold me as tears blurred my vision until gradually everything began to fade. I desperately looked at Percy, wanting to see his face one last time as I knew what was coming next. I gazed into his brilliant green eyes, adored the messy scruff of his black hair, the matured expression that had been hard won through battle and experience, wanting to savour the image of his face in my mind until finally, everything faded to a painful static screen before me which speckled a blank grey slate with mere indentations and vague outlines of things before me as my eyes lost their vibrancy and intensity whilst scars shaped like forks of lightning streaked from the corners of my eyes and stretched across my face like a blindfold of pale white ridges amongst reddened skin as I knew them to look. When I lowered my hands from my face I saw no different.
I was blind once again.