Chapter 24

Hermes was so right. Zeus was not happy with me. Like, it was my fault? Hey, I'd like to see Zeus be put in the machine! See if he wants anyone to yell at him afterwards! "Percy Jackson, you convinced us not to send you, Mr. id Angelo, and my daughter back in time to kill John Martin," Zeus growled. "Now, John has somehow managed to destroy Manhattan. Maybe you would like to tell me why you wouldn't go back in time?"

"If I did, John would be the same as he is now," I said.

"For some reason, I do not believe you." Zeus leaned back in his throne. "So in punishment for causing this mess, you will be sentenced to a thousand years on an abandon island, with no food, and no water." Annabeth's hand tightened in mine. "Unless you kill John and his followers."

"It's too dangerous for Percy to fight!" Annabeth protested.

"Annabeth, don't," I whispered.

Zeus raised an eye brow. "Why?"

Annabeth bit her lip. "John Martin found a way to take demigod powers. He took Percy's. Thalia and Nico are too. All three of them are mortal. This means Percy no longer has his Achilles spot, John does. All of them could die if you make them fight."

"I'm not sending my daughter out to fight in this war," Zeus snapped.

Thalia stepped foreword. "Father, John took my powers. I want them back. You can't stop me from fighting."

Zeus knew he couldn't win and sighed. "So be it. You say John has the Achilles spot? If that is the case, then that is how you will kill him. However, keep in mind Perseus Jackson, if Thalia dies, you will spend two thousand years on an island."

Then he waved his hand and we were standing back in Manhattan. "What now?" Nico asked.

"We get some weapons and search for John," I said.

"In case you forgot, Percy, you are the only one who has a sword, all I have is my shield," Thalia said.

"I only have my knife and Nico doesn't have anything," Annabeth noted.

"I think we could spare a few swords!" a voice yelled.

I whipped around to see Clarisse coming out of the ruin. Behind her Chris, Travis, Grover, and Pollux followed her. "Annabeth!" Grover said and gave her a hug.

Clarisse starred at me. "What?" I asked.

"My dad told me you were mortal, is it true?" Clarisse said.

"Yeah," I nodded. "Zeus is going to put me on an island unless I kill John so being mortal is going to be a problem."

"Well, we've got your back." Clarisse hit my back.

I almost fell. Man, if this was what mortals had to look foreword to I hoped I didn't have to stay like that. Chris handed a sword to Nico. Grover passed a sword to Thalia. I drew Backbiter. "So any idea where John actually is?" Clarisse asked.

"John isn't going to make you look," someone yelled.

The voice belonged to Cain. He had a big grin on his face. Behind him stood Nick, Mark, Jason, Tom, and Michael. How was that possible? Mark, Nick, and Michael were dead. "In case, you're wondering how we're still alive, you can thank the son of Hades," Nick laughed.

"Clarisse you take Nick, Chris take Jason, Pollux and Nico you have Mark, Thalia and Annabeth I want you to take Michael, Travis get Tom," I told my friends. "I have Cain."

"Hey, what about me?" Grover asked.

"Do you really want to fight, Grover?" I said.

"No. I'll just uh...look for John and I'll come back and tell you if I find where he is," Grover told me and hurried off.

Cain took out a sword hanging from his belt. The Demigod Hunters pulled out different weapons-spears, knives, swords, and clubs. Thunder struck and the battle started.

I hit Cain sword with Backbiter. "You don't know how long I've waited for this," Cain told me. "I'm glad you got away from that castle so now I can kill you myself."

"I'm thinking the same thing," I said.

Cain was stronger than I was. He was human, but he could have been a boxer. Cain easily pushed me back and brought his sword down. It clashed with Backbiter. Cain growled and grabbed my shirt with one hand, while holding his sword with the other, and threw me.

My skin got scrapped as I hit the ground. Cain raised his sword. I rolled out of the way as Cain brought his sword down. I scrambled to my feet. Cain was pretty determined to kill me. I lashed out with Backbiter. The blade cut through Cain's sleeve and made a large gash in his arm.

His blood dripped down his arm. "You little brat," he snarled.

"Hey, it's not my fault you suck at defending yourself," I said.

Cain slammed his sword into Backbiter. I could tell his strength was fading because of the cut on his arm. I just had to make sure he didn't kill me before I killed him. He starred at me in hate. Then Cain kicked my feet out from under me. I landed on the ground and shut my eyes because I knew it was over. "Percy!" Thalia yelled.

My eyes shoot open as Thalia threw me her shield. I grabbed it quickly and held it in front of me. Cain's sword hit Thalia's shield. I peered out from behind the shield. Cain was distracted for one second. I took that second the drive Backbiter through his stomach.

Cain's eyes were wide with surprise. Blood trickled down his mouth. He made a choking sound and hacked up more blood. I took Backbiter out of his stomach. Cain blinked and fell backward. His sword had fallen from his hand. I stood up and kicked the sword away so he couldn't make a last move.

He glared up at me with hateful eyes. I knelt down next to him. "You'll never...win," Cain hissed. "John..will kill you...and your friends."

"We'll see about that," I said.

Cain's hand shot up and shirt my shirt. "I'm not sorry...for what I've done throughout my life," he told me. "My only regret is that I couldn't take you to the...Underworld with me."

I grabbed his wrist and tried to pull his hand away from my shirt, but he had a death grip on it. "I don't plan on going to the Underworld anytime soon."

Cain's hand suddenly shot from my shirt to my neck. He was choking me! I tried to get his hand off my throat but he refused to let go. He was leaving me no choice. I raised Backbiter and brought it down on his hand. The blade sliced right through his wrist.

He was going to bleed out in a second. I stood up and back away from Cain's body. He took one last hateful glance at me before closing his eyes. His eyes didn't open again. Cain was dead.

"NO!" someone screamed behind me.

I turned around. Chris Rodriguez was on the ground, lying in a pool of his own blood.

Jason stood over Chris. He had an evil smile on his face. Then he raised his knife over Chris. Clarisse was desperately trying to break free of Nick, who was holding her back. I knew they were going to force Clarisse to watch as Jason killed Chris.

I grabbed Thalia's shield and hurtled it at Jason. It slammed into his chest. He flew backwards and hit a tipped off car. I ran toward Nick and sliced his arm. He cried out and let Clarisse go. Nick stumbled as he tried to stop his arm from bleeding.

Then I jumped on his back and held Backbiter to his throat. I cut his throat then jumped off his back. Yeah, you could call it murder, but I call it self-defense. I didn't really have time to think about right and wrong.

Jason stepped away from the car and grunted. "I'm going to feel that tomorrow."

Clarisse had tears in her eyes. She gripped her sword and charged at Jason. Before he could even react, Clarisse stabbed her sword in his chest. Jason got a shocked look on his face and his body slipped off her sword. I looked over at my other friends. All the Demigod Hunters but John were dead. I knelt next to Chris.

Clarisse knelt on the other side of Chris. He was still alive, but I knew he wouldn't be for long. Jason's sword had went through his shoulder. I decided to give Clarisse and Chris some space and stood up. I walked over to Jason and picked up Thalia's shield.

I had never seen Clarisse cry. Never. But she was. I wanted to help Chris, but I couldn't. He had lost too much blood. Thalia took her shield back. Annabeth slipped her hand into mine. "Is there anything we can do?" she whispered.

"No," I said. "We can just let him die a hero's death."

I let go of Annabeth's hand and walked toward Clarisse. I touched her shoulder, "Clarisse, we have to go."

She hit my hand off her shoulder. "I'm not leaving him," Clarisse said.

Chris grabbed Clarisse's hand. "Clarisse, you have to go. I'll be fine. Please?"

I knew Chris was lying through his teeth. He'd die after we left. Clarisse stood up and pushed passed me. She didn't want to leave Chris. But we needed her help. "I'm sorry, Chris," I told him.

"Its okay, Percy," he said. "It wasn't your fault. Just make sure you kill John."

"I'll try my best," I sighed.

Chris nodded and smiled. Then his face froze. My heart dropped. He was dead. I knelt down and closed his eyes. Then I looked back at my friends, "Let's go."

Author's note: Thank God! Cain is finally dead! He was a jerk! Sorry I killed Chris off. But I promise everything will work out in the end. Demigod Hunters will probably be ending in a few more chapters. I don't think it will make it over thirty chapters. Later!

-Angle of Darkness1337