Chapter 18: The Future
Ten Years Later...
Percy stepped away from the morbid corpse of Setne. Hazel ran toward Percy. Percy, however, was beyond words. He waited for the inevitable.
"Percy!" Hazel said, attempting to retrieve Percy from his trance.
Suddenly, a bright silhouette of a man appeared in front of them. The corpse of Setne was immediately disintegrated and absorbed into the light, along with his now colorless amulet. Dust rose from the outline of the circle. It was the atomized remains of Kronos, the Lord of Time.
Lightning ruptured forth from the silhouette, striking Percy and all of his friends instantly. They all fell to the ground, writhing and screaming in torment.
The silhouette materialized into a man-like creature. He had royal greek armor and a golden helmet with twelve horns. He was ghostly pale and his eyes radiated a crimson light. He stood over ten feet tall. Shining bronze armor protected his muscular arms and long legs. A red smooth cape was attached to his shoulders, flowing from the scarred armor on his back.
It was Kronos. It was not the Kronos Percy knew from the other timeline, however. It could only mean one thing: the timeline was changing! Hope was not yet lost! If he could send another flow of memories back to his past self... No. The effort would kill both him and drive his younger self crazy.
"Finally..." Kronos whispered with a crisp and deep voice, "I will enlighten you, my grandson, to the great inevitability! I will stride across the bones of my enemies. All of time shall be-"
A giant object fell on Kronos crushing him. Golden ichor splattered everywhere. The object was a giant golden armor with sharp claws and a bronze dragon skull for a head.
Percy was confused. He turned to Leo, who was grinning for the first time in five years!
"Festus!" Leo cried joyfully.
Percy was shocked, "You turned your pet dragon into freaking Godzilla?"
A figure jumped out of the armor. It was Jason! He had many scars across his face and was wearing his centurion armor which hosted many medals and colorful robes.
Jason hissed to them, "Get in! Waiting for an invitation?"
Immediately, Percy ran over to help his friends up. They all ran over and climbed onto the giant robot. Leo hopped into the armor gleefully. Jason and Annabeth sat on the shoulders, which were made of chairs that resembled car seats. Percy held onto the left leg of the mechanic giant.
Kronos immediately reappeared, smiling sadistically.
"Yes... Yes... Run. RUN! There's nowhere to hide!"
Thalia stood in front of Kronos, her eyes glistening with electric current. She remained secure and tranquil.
Percy shouted, "Thalia! We gotta go! Back to the camp!"
Thaila said to Leo, "Go! Go! I'll buy time for you guy!"
Jason roared intensely, "Thalia, no!"
"Sorry, brother." Thalia commented regretfully. She fired a bolt of electricity which welded the seat belt of the chair Jason was sitting in. Jason ferociously attempted to get out of the chair and screamed in denial. She turned to Leo, "Take care of my brother, Leo."
Percy begged, "Thalia, you don't have to-!"
"GO!"
Hesitantly, Leo reluctantly nodded his head. The machine sprouted wings and launched itself into the sky.
From a distance, Percy could see Thalia summoned all of her power from the clouds of Olympus. Wind and torrents of dust swarmed around Thalia, dragging Kronos closer and closer to his granddaughter. After absorbing much lightning, Thalia screamed in great tension and pain, and there was a large blue explosion, and Percy could no longer hear the blood pumping through her heart.
He turned to his friends in horror. Tears were gushing down a moaning Annabeth's face. Jason was quietly sobbing. Leo was in complete and utter silence.
Thalia was gone.