Chapter two. This was a little more fun to write. I think I'm losing my touch with fight scenes. Ugh, I don't mind.

Proxy of the End

Percy made his way through the camp, feeling a distant nagging, the small uneasiness that came with goodbyes. Kids ran through the camp, hastily moving their bags over the hill where a shuttle bus would take them to the airport and back to their families for the school year.

But Percy didn't want to think about that, leaving was something he's used to, but having a home wasn't. So he wouldn't think about that, for now all he wanted to do was clear his mind in the arena.

Apparently Luke had the same idea. Percy walked around the stage, making sure not to disturb Luke's practice. But the senior camper sensed his approach anyway.

Luke stopped mid-swing. "Percy."

Percy climbed the steps onto the stage. His gaze traveled to Luke's intimidating black sword to the scattered straw practice dummies laying on the stage. "Those dummies won't—"

Percy's voice died in his throat.

The arena erupted in a pillar of light so bright the rest of the camp was shrouded in darkness. The sunny sky turned into a heavy dark. The drum of lighting was almost deafening, like grinding stones together, it forced every camper to their knees.

Overhead, the protective field over the camp began to dissolve from a hole where the pillar of light had touched. The magic field tainted red as it eroded, leaving the camp vulnerable.

The golden light faded and the world turned back into daylight. For a moment the whole camp with over a hundred campers was completely silent.

Annabeth pushed herself off cabin seven's outer walls and found her bearings again. She reached and found the familiar weight of her dagger in its sheath behind her, and raced through the camp.

A crowd had formed around the arena. Hesitant campers stood a good distance away from the large structure and older campers were at the front of the crowds already prepared with weapons. Chiron strode through the older campers and instructed a small group of archers to ready their bow.

"Chiron!" Annabeth called as she approached the front of the crowd.

Her mentor, out of his wheelchair, turned, ashen faced.

"Child."

"What's happening?" Annabeth stood by the instructor.

"I do not know, but the protection around camp has come undone." Chiron spoke with a strain, his tail waved back and forth nervously. "I sense an ominous presence," he looked into the arena, "one I have not felt for a long time."

"Chiron," Beckendorf appeared from the crowd, a dozen or so of his siblings followed behind him decked in armor. "I got the guys ready."

"Good," Chiron turned back to the arena, a distant look in his eyes. "Let us go."

Beckendorf's small group of Hephaestus kids and Clarisse's own siblings moved through the large door of the arena. Chiron stood in the lead, armed with a shield and sword. Annabeth followed closely behind, Chiron knew she would come visible or not so he didn't bother refusing.

The arena was quiet. Not a scratch out of the ordinary that would prove there ever being an explosion in here. For a moment Annabeth thought everything was merely some kind of crazy magic illusion. But no—

They weren't alone.

Luke stood on the stage, a long sword held loosely in his hand. He looked skywards as if he was in a daze. On the floor in front of him was Percy on his hands and knees. The campers' shuffling steps froze.

Percy shook. His back was to the campers, it seemed like he was exhausted. A strange golden cloth hung on his back.

Annabeth turned to Chiron. He was frozen as well. Eyes wide, and a subtle terror lay behind his unmoving face.

That's when Annabeth noticed Luke had golden eyes.

"What an unexpected turn of events." Luke's voice was low and chilling. It carried through the arena to every campers' eager ears. His gaze fell on Percy who was still sprawled in front of him. "To think that I've come so close to victory all for a mere human to force my hand."

Annabeth's eyebrows scrunched in confusing, but a sinking feeling was already clawing at her stomach. This wasn't right. They don't look right. Luke was taller, paler. His hair was longer and not as bright as she remembered.

"It seems the moment I transformed all of my injuries were healed. Although, it seems my transformation has reversed to a very early stage." Luke strode forward to Percy. "You, on the other hand, are hanging on by a string."

Luke lifted his long sword. Some part of Annabeth's baffled mind screamed at her, the same part that screamed crazy, unrealistic fears, it screamed that Luke was going to kill Percy. But, that can't be. Why would Luke…?

Luke did. He swung his sword down, and Annabeth screamed, falling forward onto the steps.

Percy lifted his left hand and caught the blade...

"What did I tell you, Kronos." Percy began to rise, and for the first time Annabeth came to the numbing realization that Percy was covered in blood. "Until you turn into a Titan, you're still a human."

Percy slashed his sword in his right hand. Riptide ran through Luke's shirt and pierced his skin, however the cut was shallow rather than the gut spilling wound Annabeth had expected.

Annabeth cried out again, her brain running a thousand miles an hour and yet completely blank.

Luke jumped back, crossing the entire distance of the arena stage. His hand pressed on the cut that ran across his chest.

"What? It seems my power has reverted to a dormant state, but yours has remained?" Luke stared down at his hand stained in red blood.

"You rely too much on your time magic." Percy's voice was coarse. His breathing was hard. He leaned on his sword for support. Blood splashed on the stage, forming a puddle around Percy. "You never grew stronger. That's why I'll stop you now."

"Please. You're barely alive." Luke dashed forward, swiping his sword horizontally.

Percy lifted his sword and met Luke's. Percy threw the swords apart then they clashed again with intense speed. Jabs, and swings, and dodges so fast everyone was captured in a frightened awe. For a moment, everyone forgot Percy's injuries as he danced across the stage with fluidity that proved his Poseidon blood.

Luke's sword bounced out Percy's skin, leaving small cuts, most of which Percy managed to angle just right so that it would slide off without much resistance.

With every clash, sparks flew and a clap of metal echoed through the arena. Every hit they zipped across the stage, and Annabeth found herself growing more frightened. Any second one of her two friends could cut each other's head off. She wanted to scream.

Annabeth turned to the campers. Every single one of them were trapped in a haze of awe. Chiron looked pale. His hands were shaking.

"Chiron! Stop them!" Annabeth pleaded. The old centaur flinched out of his daze. His eyes narrowed.

"Clarisse! Beckendorf! Break the fight apart!" Chiron commanded. The two nodded in surprise and hurried onto the stage, their siblings moved on the stage after them, crowding the two.

Percy stumbled back into Beckendorf's arms. But he pushed the older camper aside, preferring to lean on his sword.

Luke had backed away from the new campers. His sword lay dangerously in his grip.

"C'mon, Luke. Knock it off." Clarisse growled. She stepped forward, and her siblings followed, shields held up. "Drop the sword, Luke."

"Sure, sure." Luke dropped his sword. The blade clattered on the ground. He raised both hands in surrender.

Clarisse came in to restrain Luke. But in a blink Luke had his sword in his hands again, the sword was plunged into Clarisse's stomach.

Luke pulled the sword back out. Clarisse groaned and stumbled back, blood spewed out of her mouth. Her spear hit the ground and she did a moment later.

In an instant all of the Ares kids were screaming. They charged Luke all at once.

Luke webbed through the Ares kids like a master against children. Their every swing missed Luke by a hair, and in return Luke cut through them like an assembly line. Of the dozen Ares kids there, only a single one made it pass Luke's guard and struck at the back of Luke's neck. The blade bounced off as if he had hit steel.

A quick swipe through the remaining kid's abdomen and he was on the ground.

Luke strode towards Percy. The Hephaestus kids drew back in fear. Beckendorf stepped up and came to a defensive stance.

"Luke!" Beckendorf shouted. "You're going to drop that sword or else I'm seriously going to hurt you!"

Luke chuckled softly.

"Charles, you've already tried." Luke spoke with a tinge of amusement. "But that's not for a few years. I'll move time forward. For your sake."

Luke brought his sword up and swung down. Beckendorf blocked with his shield, but buckled under the pressure. At the last moment, he tilted his shield, letting the sword slide off, side stepped, then stabbed.

Luke knocked the sword aside and slashed for Beckendorf's exposed chest, but Beckendorf jumped back and avoided the cut.

Beckendorf charged and blocked Luke's swing and forced Luke's sword aside and went for a slash at Luke's body. Then Beckendorf— stopped...

Beckendorf's eyes were wide as his sword froze inches from Luke's chest. His whole body became incredibly still, unrealistically still, even his breathing had stopped.

"Let me give you one last moment of reprieve." Luke moved back and readied his sword against Beckendorf's own chest. "Your loved one, Silena Beauregard, is a spy for the Titans. She is willing to kill even you for our cause."

Beckendorf didn't move an inch, but even in that frozen state, he looked that much more shocked.

Luke pushed his sword into Beckendorf.

Percy was there in a blink of the eye. Luke barely had time to pull his sword back to block. Percy forced Luke back, then with a swing, threw Luke across the stage.

Beckendorf fell from his frozen pose, gripping his chest.

Percy spared Beckendorf a glance before turning to Luke.

"Enough games, Kronos!" Percy shouted, his voice less shaken than before. "Fight me."

"I would love to, Percy." Luke got back on his feet again. "But it seems like the children have come crying."

Thunder clapped over the arena. A line of lightning struck the stage and there stood Zeus in all his glory.

Two more strikes of lightning and Poseidon and Athena appeared, the latter in battle armor.

Apollo landed in the back of the arena, a bow in his hands and an arrow at the ready.

Ares appeared in a second and pounded across the stage, a burning fury on his eyes. A massive great sword in one hand. He howled in anger.

Another flash of lightning and Hermes rushed out and restrained Ares.

Annabeth didn't even notice Dionysus standing at the base of the steps.

"What is the meaning of this!" Zeus' demand boomed like thunder, rocking the arena.

"Whatever do you mean?" Luke smirked. "It seems you are clueless per usual."

Electricity crawled around Zeus. The Master Bolt, which Annabeth remember retrieving just a few months ago, appeared in Zeus' hand.

"You dare insult Zeus?" Athena barked.

"I'LL KILL YOU!" Ares screamed and struggled against Hermes. "YOU'LL PAY FOR HURTING MY KIDS!"

"Ares! See to your children!" Hermes jerked Ares back. The War God look absolutely infuriated, but finally relented and moved to the scattered Ares kids. Apollo was already there, examining the wounds.

Hermes, relieved of Ares, turned to Luke. His face contorted in agony.

"Luke…" Hermes' voice was pained. "Why have you done this."

Luke turned to Hermes, his cold eyes unchanging.

"Are talking to me, Hermes?" Luke's tone was so casual it was as if he wasn't surrounded by six Olympians. "I am not Luke. Luke died a long time ago."

A chill pass through the arena.

"I can't remember how long ago, actually." Luke brought his free hand and touched his chin contemplatively. "I don't do something as ridiculous as keeping track of time. But Percy, you like to keep track of irrelevant things. Tell me, how long has Luke been dead."

Everyone's eyes turned Percy. It seemed like the first time anyone really even noticed him, actually noticed him.

Percy was taller. Way taller than Annabeth remembered seeing him yesterday. He had longer, messy hair, flattened from sweat and blood. He was shaking, barely standing. One hand on his stomach. Blood ran down his arm, and coated his jeans. A wool cape wrapped around his arms. It shimmered faintly.

This was Percy, yes. But it wasn't the same Percy Annabeth remember. This Percy looked older, more define and sharp without any of the childish fat or edges.

Percy stared back, not giving the Olympians a single glance.

Poseidon broke the silence and hurried to Percy's side, but stopped when Athena grabbed his shoulder.

"Let me think." Luke continued. A grin spread across his lips, giving a sinister look that seemed completely foreign on his normally handsome face. He turned to Hermes. "I think he died when you abandoned him to his insane mother."

Hermes flinched back as if he was stung, the anguish deepened on his face.

Thunder roared in the sky.

"Enough fooling around!" Zeus shouted, shaking the arena again. "Luke Castellan, forfeit your weapon or be struck!" He lifted the Master Bolt.

Luke, calm as ice, turned to Zeus. "I'll choose option two. How badly can you really—"

Luke didn't finish. Zeus unleashed his nuclear bolt, and struck Luke. The bolt froze in space it's crackling dulled into a simmer. The spear of light simply stood in thin air, completely unmoving except for the low buzzing.

Then it moved backwards! Zooming right back into the group of demigods.

Annabeth had the thought of covering her face with her arms, but it happened too fast for her to even register.

In the span of the bolt moving across the arena, at such a speed Annabeth couldn't even move her arms to cover her eyes, Percy slid from where he stood to the front of the bolt in the middle of the arena.

Percy reached out and grabbed the bolt with his bare hand and adverted the trajectory into the air above them. The bolt flew into the air, high, high above the clouds and exploded in a web of lightning that dulled the sun's light. The thunder shook the ground itself.

Everyone was stunned into silence.

Percy stood in the middle of the room, hand sizzling from the contact with the bolt, but otherwise, completely silent.

"You never cease to impress me, Percy." Luke's voice drew everyone's attention to the sky, where he stood on thin air right at the edge of the arena border. "Even with your Golden Fleece and your Poseidon blood I would not have expected you to grow in strength as you have. I suppose the true fighting spirit only surfaces in the moment of lost."

The wind swirled around Percy. The cloud above crept down and pulled Percy into the air.

"Don't think you can still face me." Luke hissed. He raised his long sword, the black and silver blade curved and molded into a flat, long javelin. He chucked the javelin.

Percy blocked the spear, but was knocked into the arena ground by the force of the attack.

The javelin reversed from the ground into the sky and back in Luke's grasp.

"For now, farewell." Luke turned around.

Zeus stepped forward, another lightning bolt in his hand. He opened his mouth to shout, but—

"Luke!" Annabeth screamed. "Why are you doing this!?"

Luke froze.

"Please… Please stop. Don't hurt anyone anymore." Annabeth pleaded quietly. "Please don't leave."

Luke turned to look over his shoulder.

"It's too late, the end is already upon you."

Luke disappeared.

Wowe. That was super-duper. Idk. How do you like it? Do you want more? I have a little more written, but right now I'm focused on another new story staring KRONOS the BAMF and Athena?! What?! I'm also working on Killing God.

Give me some feedback people. I need to be bossed around.