Sorry guys but there is no Rhea, I figure she'd be wanting to stay as far from Kronos as she could. And uh, sorry not sorry. You'll understand. And you will probably all be murdering me. There will be another note on the end.
Sorta poll for Sally's parentage/who she's a legacy of. I won't be including the vote for Vesta because she's a maiden.
Terra: 26
Nox: 9
Venus: 6
Saturn: 4
Ceres: 3
Baccus: 1
Jupiter: 1
Pluto: 1
Neptune: 1
Apollo: 1
Mars: 1
Caelus: 1
Tartarus: 1
Daughter of Venus: 19
Daughter of Ceres: 2
Daughter of Terra: 1
Percy let out a cry, a startled terrified noise as Kronos squeezed tightly, his face suddenly less than an inch away from her own, "You will be my bride- or they will die-" he held up his other fist and squeezed hard and Percy let out a sob as she heard Luke and Ethan's breathing getting cut off, she could hear them thrashing and choking helplessly as Kronos released his grip on her throat, and then she dropped to her knees, bowing her head.
"I'm sorry-" her voice was panicked, "I'm sorry my lord- my lord please. Please stop hurting them." they hadn't won yet. She could feel it in her bones- they were close but they hadn't won yet- Kronos still wasn't beaten. And then Kronos' right hand was in front of her face. And this was it. This was the image she'd seen, herself on her knees, dressed up a a perfect bride, kissing the knuckles of Kronos' hand. This was what Rachel had dreamed of. And now it was happening. Just as Percy had known it would and just as she'd been trying to avoid.
"Kiss my knuckles." his voice was cool. "Show me your devotion and I will let them live. If I am not satisfied they'll die gasping for breath begging you to save them. Prove to me that you will not try to escape. Give me something that would make you deserve my mercy." and Percy pressed her lips to his knuckles- it felt strange through the fabric of the veil, but she was glad for that thin barrier, blinking back tears as her mind raced, and then she lifted her head to meet those molten gold eyes- May's voice ringing in her ears.
Remember who he was before and know his weakness- and Percy's eyes widened, her heart suddenly pounding in her chest as she rose to her feet again, holding his hand tightly as she did. "My mortal spot is the small of my back my Lord. My future husband." she needed him to trust her. She needed him to think she was done, to think that she'd lost the will to fight. And she couldn't risk lying- couldn't risk him seeing through her lie. She was going to die- she could feel it in her very soul. But she would not die alone.
And Kronos' smirk was cruel and amused- and she heard Luke and Ethan sucking in desperate breaths once more as she was pulled close, so that she was flush against him- and she didn't let go of his hand as Kronos raised the veil with his free hand, pushing it up and over her head and then his lips were on hers, and Percy kissed him back, loosening her grip on his hand as she did, trying to push down the revulsion she felt as his left hand pressed against the small of her back, pressing down on her mortal spot with a sort of possessiveness, a silent show of the power he held over her. He knew where her Mortal spot was, he had her life in his hands- oh he must be loving it- Alabaster would have loved it she was sure- they both enjoyed having power over her. They enjoyed knowing
how frightened and helpless she felt.
She had to be careful now- if he realised what she was doing she'd die and it would fail- but slowly she did it- slowly she slid the ring May had given her down her thumb, until the base of it was just above her joint and the point of it jutted out just beyond the tip of her nail.
And she slid her hand slowly up Alabasters arm, rubbing the pad of her thumb against the pulse point of Alabaster's wrist.
May had been right. It had been Alabaster who bathed in the Styx. It had been Alabaster who chose their mortal point. And she had been all Alabaster wanted.
He'd never forgotten the moment on Mount Orthys- when he'd offered to pull her up and she'd pulled him over the edge instead- never forgotten the way she'd rubbed the pad her her thumb over his pulse point then. It was the most intimate thing she'd done to him- willingly at least.
And she could remember his reaction in her prison on Mount Orthys- she'd been terrified and lost and he'd told her that they'd be married and she'd grabbed his wrist and tried to draw out whatever affection might remain, tried to invoke fond memories- and in response he'd hit her so hard that she'd ended up hitting the wall.
It made so much sense now. And it was perfect. Because Alabaster had used her as his anchor, and his wrist- the pulse point of his right wrist to be precise, was his mortal spot.
She pulled back from the kiss and Kronos let out a triumphant laugh, "So beautiful in your defeat my Queen- my wife."
"Maybe it's because I'm at peace. My husband, do you want to know why?" a content smile played across her lips. "Alabaster's weakness was always me. And then she leaned in and pressed her lips against Kronos' again and Kronos closed his eyes, pressing his hand harder against her back before his eyes snapped open again to meet met her gaze as she shifted her grip and dug her thumb and the sharp, sharp point of the ring into the flesh of the pulse point- she saw a flash of shock and horror in the Titan's molten gold eyes as he wrenched his head back as he howled in pain, eyes glowing like lava.
The throne room shook- but Kronos didn't loosen his grip on her- and suddenly there was a biting pain as something plunged into the small of her back- a blade of some kind- and then she wrenched herself free- she could hear the blade clattering to the floor but she didn't look, stumbling backwards and away from him, screwing her eyes shut as she fell back, throwing her arms up to cover her eyes as an aura of energy surrounded Kronos, growing brighter and brighter. Percy whimpered as she felt a force like a nuclear explosion blister her skin and crack her lips.
It was silent for a long moment- and Percy could feel the life draining away from her as she slowly lowered her arms when it was over- and then Luke and Ethan were there- they'd been freed from their restraints when Percy had killed Kronos- and Luke was shaking, "You did it! Percy you did it! How did you do it I couldn't see." he was smiling widely as he grabbed Percy's shoulder to try and haul her up- and she gritted her teeth, forcing back a scream of pain at the movement- and it was Ethan who realized first- he saw her back- Luke couldn't at the angle he was sat, and he sucked in a sharp breath, picking up something that glinted from the ground next to where Percy had landed.
"I've seen this dagger before. Kronos played with it-"
"Percy's dagger- I gave it to her." Luke's voice turned confused, "Is that how you-"
"The blade." Percy's voice was barley more than a whisper. "It was cursed by what Alabaster did with it. I think." she could feel tears pouring down her cheeks and Luke shifted his grip, noticing that she didn't seem to be able to sit up straight- his arm slid around her back and for the first time he felt the dampness- and she saw the moment he realized, the sudden horror in his eyes.
"No."
"I'm sorry." Percy whispered the words weakly, managing to shift herself so that her head was resting on her big brothers shoulder as he clutched her close.
"No- no." tears were suddenly pouring down his cheeks, "No. Please. Please don't- I can't Percy I need you. Please."
"I'm so sorry." Percy managed to lift a hand, pressing her palm to her brothers cheek. "I love you Luke. You're the best big brother ever. You'll look after the others like you promised right?"
"Please." Luke was shaking violently as he clutched herself, "Please please Percy don't leave me. Don't leave us. What about the others you can't do this."
"Don't think I get a choice." Percy could feel her eyes closing despite her best efforts to keep them open. "I just got stabbed in my mortal spot. I'm dying Luke." she smiled sadly, "It's not a bad way to go." she tried to comfort him, even though she knew that there was nothing she could say or do that would make the pain any less overwhelming for her older brother.
The day she'd been born he'd swore to protect her. And in his own eyes Luke had failed- his sister was dying in his arms and there was nothing her could do about it- no way for him to save and protect her. She knew that it would hurt him- and that was probably going to be Percy's greatest regret she knew.
She'd long ago accepted the fact that she'd probably die young, she'd come to terms with that in a way Luke had never been able to.
So death itself didn't scare her, she'd go to the Underworld happily enough- but it did hurt knowing that her death would cause her loved ones pain.
But what choice was there? It had been the only way to stop Kronos. So Luke would have to mourn and in time he'd recover- they all would. And they'd learn to live without her.
"I'm sorry." that was Ethan's voice- and the son of Nemesis lowered himself so that he was on his knees beside her and Luke, "I'm sorry- Percy-"
"You were right. It's not fair how your mom's treated. But Kronos was wrong- Ethan-"
"I was wrong I know." Ethan's voice cracked, "I'm sorry. I- if I hadn't- if I had never- you wouldn't be dying now if I hadn't sworn myself to Kronos."
"Was always gonna happen." Percy whispered the words, "It was my choice. I forgive you. Just help look after everyone. Make it worth it. You don't have to love the gods to live a good life."
"I will." Ethan nodded. "I promise."
"Thank you." Percy breathed out. "I'll see you in Elysium Luke. I'll see our friends again. It won't be so bad really. I'm kinda looking forward to it." and as she said that she turned her head, her eyes focusing on a figure who Luke and Ethan couldn't see and then her hand went slack, dropping from Luke's cheek, leaving a streak of blood on his face- and Luke screamed, a long echoing wail of a noise so filled with grief that anyone who could hear it would feel the pain deep in the heart of it. And when Luke couldn't scream anymore for the need to breath he was bowing his head and pressing his face into Percy's head, nose pressing against the fabric of the veil, still pushed backwards over her head. And his nails dug into the skin of her arms as he shook his head slightly rocking back and forth as his sobs filled the throne room- the sound almost eerie in the otherwise silent hall.
Ethan laid a hand on Luke's shoulder, unable to do more than be a silent comforting presence as the son of Hermes mourned his sisters death for the third time, her body limp in his arms.
….
And, in the elevator that led to Olympus, Nico and Bianca were rising steadily- the battle was over- their father, Persephone and Demeter had already gone, disappearing without a trace- surely going to Olympus to greet the others gods and goddesses, who had struck down the remaining enemies on their way to their thrones.
And both Bianca and Nico knew that they needed to be there at the end- Nico was desperate to join his siblings- he'd felt bad for leaving his mom and Paul but she'd urged him to go- urged him to join Percy, Luke and Leo on Olympus- and when he felt that buzzing sensation in his head Nico was glad for that. He was glad that they didn't have to see him as his eyes widened in horror and his legs gave out beneath him- and Bianca's eyes widened too, filling with tears even as Nico let out a soul tearing scream and the air in the elevator turned icy.
She caught her younger brothers as he hunched over, the shock and grief tearing him apart as he screamed and screamed, and all she could do was wrap her arms around him and rock them both, her own tears pouring with grief.
That was the curse of children of Hades. They could feel death, and in that moment they both sensed two deaths- one of them they were both almost pleased about- Alabaster deserved nothing less- but the other death- Nico's nails dug into Bianca's skin as the sobs tore their way past his lips and his whole body shook.
Because the two Di Angelo's had sensed the death of Percy.
So, uh, it turns out a Jackson woman does get to kill her abusive husband. It's just not Sally. Please don't kill me.
