It is all in the name of love.
Watching over the son of Poseidon was proving to be an extremely difficult task, even with the aid of the daughter of Athena as they raced through the streets, eliminating enemy soldiers on the way. Percy was just as efficient in killing as the son of Hades, rivaling Nico's insane speed and agility. They said that some were born gifted with talents, and in this case, Luke believed that. The two heirs were on a different league on their own; in a higher pedestal where normal people like the son of Hermes could only look up to in submission. Their positions were well-earned just as much as they were well-feared. Luke could never imagine being head-to-head with either of them. No, he would never want to be on the opposite side of them. They have an unspoken language that only people of their caliber could understand. Perhaps, it was that they were so similar that they understood each other well. Perhaps, it was because they held a deep depth of darkness in their hearts that they found comfort in someone else truly understanding the magnitude of their pain.
Running along the streets of Agápi, the son of Hermes was certain he brushed the edge of that bottomless chasm. The sky was lit up in that vivid red once more as the flames raged through the streets. It was like the battle of Ílios all over again, with arrows shooting into the night sky, targeting projectiles launched from the trebuchets and cutting them open seconds before they were cast into the fire. Tall stone buildings - the ones that were still left standing - were ablaze, casting an orange glow over the chaos. The once bustling district had been almost completely reduced to rubble with its inhabitants either dead or fleeing for their lives.
In all this chaos, Luke gained some understanding of the darkness in Nico and Percy. In the chaos, where every single person fought to survive by any means necessary, seeing all these citizens being callously sacrificed as human shields by the people who were supposed to protect them was the epitome of Tartarus on the land of the living. Some deserved to live, but in equal parts, some deserved to die. Whatever reservations Luke had at any point in not showing mercy to their opponents was completely gone. They did not deserve mercy. As Percy said to Heracles earlier, people like them didn't deserve the respect.
One of Pólemos' soldiers intercepted his path, catching the son of Hermes off-guard. He managed to raise Periphronisi at the last second, the blade absorbing all the impact with a loud clang as he stumbled backwards with gritted teeth. Before he could counter, a Celestial Bronze blade was already sticking out on the soldier's chest from the back, the latter dropping dead to the floor once the blade was pulled out. Percy did not even wait for the body to drop before he resumed forward, his lackluster eyes locked onto the Sanctuary of Paphia in the distance.
"Remember what you said about keeping an eye on Percy?" Annabeth asked from his side, a little breathless. "I don't think it's necessary."
Luke cussed under his breath as he straightened his body, rushing after the son of Poseidon. Initially, Luke did think that they would be the one clearing the path for this suicidal bastard but clearly, Percy had different plans as he created his own. Anyone that got in his way that was not an ally was mercilessly killed in a second, much like what Nico had done back then. Perhaps his earlier display with Heracles was conditional, but that did not make it any less of an unsettling memory.
Steadily, they were pushing forward towards the palace with the suzerains fighting on another side, pushing back just as hard as them. But even Luke could tell that their supply was rapidly depleting: a result of being in a different territory. As expected, the enemies were targeting their archers as well and as much as they had prepared for it by stationing soldiers to defend the archers, there was only so much they could spare - there was only so much that could be done, in the face of a force much overwhelming than theirs.
"Our strategy will fail without the archers!" Luke called out to Annabeth who was busy decapitating an enemy. "There's no point to having resources without the archers setting them off!"
It was a given fact that they could not lose their archers. They only had this one strategy alone. Beyond that, they solely depended on their manpower. If they were to lose their archers at a critical time, the tide of the war could take a turn for the worse for them, even with the Charbydis on their side. No matter how skilled Perseus Tzákson was, he was only a mortal - a human. There was a limit to what he could do.
At that moment, fear gripped the son of Hermes' heart at the thought of losing here. He did not ever fear for his death, as odd as it seemed. Breaking the promise he made to the youngest son of Hades was what had him in fear for some reason. They could not die here. They must not die here.
"Did someone say they need some archers?" A voice cut through his spiraling thoughts, forcing Luke to look up. He had not heard that voice in so long, but he would always remember.
She was as beautiful as he remembered, despite that her short, spiky black hair, skin and clothes were now covered in all sorts of dirt, soot, and grime. There was clear exhaustion in her eyes, but the electric blue color of them was still as mesmerizing. He disliked that color on others, but on her, it was as if she was solely the one meant to have it. That was what he always thought. His heart didn't react as strongly as it did in the past upon seeing her. Somehow, it didn't disturb the son of Hermes as much as he thought it would. Perhaps, it was because all lingering emotions of that time had come to pass and only a platonic fondness remained.
"Thalia!" He greeted her with a smile as she approached them, flanked with the Huntresses of Diana on one side, on another-… Luke paused. He was not aware of the other group that the daughter of Zeus came with. From the looks of it, they were not from any of the other districts.
"Queen Hylla of the Amazons," Percy supplied from his side, startling Luke who was not aware that the son of Poseidon had even gone back to their side. Those sea-green eyes looked pointedly at the woman standing beside Thalia, a tall woman with hair and eyes as dark as black obsidian. She carried herself with an air of authority that - in the son of Hermes' perspective - was only rivaled by the suzerain of Skotádi. Her title suited her. She carried herself like a Queen.
"Perseus Tzákson," the woman addressed the son of Poseidon just as formally as the latter did. "It has been a long while."
"Save the reunion later!" the daughter of Zeus complained despite having placed a hand on top of Annabeth's hair, fondly brushing her hair back as they silently greeted each other. "You have the Huntresses of Diana and the Amazons at your disposal now. What's your plan?"
A loud "BOOM!" resounded, interrupting their conversation, the ground shaking at the magnitude. All of them turned around just in time to see another projectile being thrown in the air, an arrow piercing it within seconds and dispersing its contents, before there was another explosion in one of the buildings once they came into contact with fire.
"Shoot those! That's the plan," Luke answered curtly.
"Di immortales, you're still as crazy as I remember," Thalia cursed under her breath as she sharply whistled, garnering the attention of her people. "Huntresses! I need half of you to head down to the trebuchets and receive further instructions to assist from there. The rest of us will remain here and help them push back the enemy forces."
"Take half of our forces as well," Hylla spoke to one of her subordinates. "Defend the Huntresses at all costs."
"Luke, we can't keep deploying our resources. At this rate, we will lose all before we even reach the palace," Annabeth warned.
"There," the son of Poseidon spoke up before Luke could begrudgingly acknowledge what the daughter of Athena said. He pointed at two building structures where most soldiers were funneling out from in between. "Light those buildings up and bring them down. It will obstruct their path and reduce the number of sides we'll be fighting from."
"I'll have my Huntresses inform your people," Thalia agreed immediately to the son of Poseidon's plan, signaling for them to start moving once their enemies started heading their way once more. "Start moving, people! We must hold our ground!"
As quickly as they arrived, the Huntresses and Amazons scattered under the orders of their leaders, their faces set in grim determination as they surveyed the streets. The twang of bowstrings reverberated across the battlefield as the arrows flew with deadly accuracy, finding their mark in the bodies of charging soldiers who fell to the ground one by one. As the enemy soldiers drew closer, the Amazons stepped forward, taking charge with their swords. They formed a tight defensive circle as they moved to their destination, standing back-to-back as the enemies charged towards them.
"Let's move!" Thalia took charge, as she withdrew her arrows and pulled out a Celestial Bronze spear from her back.
Percy and Thalia were an unexpected pair. For some reason, neither Luke nor Annabeth anticipated that they would work well together. Wordlessly, they covered for each other, with the daughter of Zeus stabbing her spear past the son of Poseidon's shoulder, hitting a soldier on the chest behind Percy while he returned the favor by slashing another soldier as he ducked past Thalia. They looked at each other for a second, a silent understanding passing between them, before they pushed forward, efficiently covering each other's backs. The rest of the Huntresses and Amazons did not falter, following their leaders into battle. One by one, bodies fell into the ground like flies as they fought in a manner that was not conventional, as if they were only following what their instincts dictated. The presence of reinforcements was clearly unanticipated, the soldiers desperately falling back in the face of the tide slowly being flipped on them.
In rapid succession, one building after another exploded, causing a shower of debris to rain down on the streets below where dozens of soldiers were marching through. Large chunks of concrete flew in every direction as the soldiers and citizens fruitlessly fled in a panic, screaming, and running for their lives, but were ultimately crushed to their deaths. They would justify that it was a necessary move afterwards, under the crushing weight of guilt, as they watched the blood of the dead fill the streets. But for now, that moment of breather was much needed that all they could feel was an overwhelming sense of relief.
"That should hold them off for now," Luke heaved a sigh, lowering his sword before he turned to face the daughter of Zeus and the Queen of the Amazons. "Thanks, we owe you one."
"It's fine," Thalia said with a shake of her head before Hylla took over the conversation, reporting the battle that happened on their side. "The matter in Fotiá has been settled. We went on ahead to help, but the rest of the districts are sending their people over as well as we speak. They should reach the shores within a day or two."
"That's good." It truly was. It helped ease the trepidation in his heart earlier. The more their numbers were, the higher was their chances of surviving.
"Jason…" If Luke were to be honest, he had forgotten about the son of Zeus. He had been honest earlier - he was not his priority: Percy's safety was. To think that despite that, Jason still trailed after them. Or perhaps, it was the thought of having nowhere else to go that the son of Zeus stood by them, a respectable distance away. But Thalia closed that distance in a few strides, encompassing her younger brother in a tight hug. "Y-You're… with them? You're with us?"
"I suppose so," Jason sighed as he leaned against her embrace, desperately basking in its comfort. He could feel her relief at his confirmation. He could feel her relief at the thought of not having to kill him for standing with the opposing side. Luke pitied him to a small extent, as he remembered what the son of Zeus said about his family having little to no care for him. With a father like Lord Zeus, a stepmother like Lady Hera and a half-brother like Heracles, the son of Hermes could only imagine what kind of life the blond male had to live all these years.
"Where's Nico?" a voice asked, amidst the siblings' reunion.
A young woman around Percy's and Annabeth's age stepped forward, her silky dark brown hair seeming wild and untamed despite being pulled back in a loose braid. He should not know her, but he immediately did. There was only one other person Luke knew with that same shade of russet-brown eyes. This had to be Bianca di Angelo. He was so certain that this was Bianca di Angelo - the older sister of Niccolò di Angelo.
"My brother. Where is my brother?" She asked them once more, her voice becoming shaky, but her eyes were solely trained on the son of Poseidon who was silently looking at the ground with a death grip on the handle of his sword. "He would be with you… but why don't I see him?"
"... He got injured in the last fight," Luke decided to intervene, stepping in front of Percy. But the huntress acted as if he wasn't even there, her eyes gleaming with immense sadness and overwhelming anger while her eyes remained fixated on the son of Poseidon.
"You promised you would keep him safe… You said you would take care of him. I entrusted him to you," Bianca whispered in a pained voice, pointing an accusatory finger at the son of Poseidon who took it all in with silence. "Why did you let him get hurt?"
"That's a hypocritical thing to say. What right do you think you have to tell him that? You haven't been a sister - a family - to Nico for a long time." Luke stepped forward, blocking the son of Poseidon from the huntress while he glared down on her. He might not be as close to Percy as he was to Nico, but that did not mean that he would just let Bianca di Angelo badmouth Perseus Tzákson. He had been a witness to Percy's suffering over the past few weeks, the torment he put himself through, thinking that he had placed Nico in that position, in that condition. But no, that was Nico's decision, and the son of Hermes was certain that if Nico was with them, he would claim it solely on his own. He would be damned if he let the huntress - daughter of Hades or not - place such a ruthless accusation. "You abandoned him and now you want to push the blame on another person!"
"Lucas Castellan!" Annabeth hissed from his side, watching as the woman's russet-brown eyes flickered with undeniable hurt, pain and guilt. Luke saw it too, and he would not deny feeling satisfaction from it. He might not know Bianca di Angelo, but he knew Niccolò di Angelo and Perseus Tzákson. He felt a strong sense of protectiveness over them.
All this time, Queen Hylla stood at the side, silently observing all of them. That was uncalled for, she thought while considering the words the daughter of Hades said - accused - to the son of Poseidon. She might not know any of them enough to cast judgment, but she had seen how shattered Niccolò di Angelo's eyes had been due to his sister. She might not know enough, but she knew enough to know that Percy cared too much for the son of Hades to the point that he would put his life at risk for him. The accusations were baseless to her, but apparently not to Percy. She could see it in his lackluster eyes - he was accepting all the blame. He was claiming it all to himself.
"Enough, Bianca," Thalia commanded as she moved to the huntress' side, looking at her with a somber expression. Luke might not realize it, but in that moment, he hit too close to home despite only addressing the young di Angelo. All of them had abandoned something in their past to get to where they were - to live.
"We're at war, in case you are all forgetting," she reprimanded the both of them, casting a scathing look at the son of Hermes when Luke tried to speak in his defense. All of them were high on tension and emotion. She would rather not have things said that could not be taken back. "Right now, we need to focus on what needs to be done. So tell us, what needs to be done?"
Luke never knew he had a capacity to care for anyone more than what was necessary. He prided himself for always being level-headed in any situation, because keeping his emotions in check enabled him to make the most logical decisions. He could count on one hand the number of times he had lost his composure, and that was only because his buttons were pushed to the point that his irritation got the better of him. But never for anger, no. Never anger.
Until now.
"I'm not going! Damn you, do you even hear what you're saying, Tzákson? There are at least two of them inside! Do you want to die so badly that you want to go in there alone?!"
Of course, it was the son of Poseidon who was giving him the hardest of times. He and Nico were truly a perfect match made by the Fates, though even the young di Angelo himself had not pushed him to this point of anger yet. He had half the mind to take back all the things he said to Bianca di Angelo in defense of Percy.
"You need to be here, Luke," Percy reasoned. "You know they can't win out here if both of us go. You have to stay with them."
Luke gritted his teeth as he glanced at their comrades fighting several meters away from where they stood, which was at the steps of the palace. They were managing with the additional forces of the Huntresses and Amazons, yes, but Percy was right. They can't afford to lose more than one leader on the battlefield. But if he were to let Percy go alone…
"I can't let you go alone," Luke said with gritted teeth. "I made a promise to di Angelo I'd bring you back alive, and you're making it difficult by being a suicidal bastard!"
"I don't want to bring him another friend to bury!" Percy finally snapped at the son of Hermes, gnashing his teeth. But that response angered Luke only further as he grabbed the son of Poseidon by the armor and shook him harshly.
"And you think bringing home his dead lover would be better?!" Luke countered with a growl.
Those empty sea-green eyes were now so full of life, so full of anger as they glared into equally pissed cobalt-blue eyes. If the son of Hermes wasn't so pissed, he would have felt pride from finally evoking a reaction from Percy. But as it stood, he was pissed. Extremely so. He could not remember another time feeling such intense anger.
"Lucas, stop. Let him go."
Thanatos' horse came to a stop before the two of them, but neither spared a glance at the suzerain. With a sigh, Thanatos dismounted his horse before forcibly separating the two heirs.
"Perseus is right. Two of you can't go." Luke was about to protest, but Thanatos cut him off. "That's why I'm going with him. You don't have a reason to be there, Lucas. But we do. I do. So please, stay here and lead our soldiers," Thanatos calmly requested.
"Please, Luke. I promised Nico I would come back as well. I'm not going to die out here," Percy claimed, looking determinedly at the son of Hermes.
He meant what he said though. It was not as if he did not trust Luke to cover for him. The son of Hermes was an experienced fighter since he could hold his own against Niccolò di Angelo. Percy had seen them spar; he'd seen them work well as a team during the battle of Ílios. But Percy would not be able to focus with Luke there, facing Ares and Triton. There would always be a nagging thought of what if Luke were to get injured, or worse, killed? He could not put Annabeth in the same world of pain that he had been in. He could not do that to Nico as well. He could not let Nico bury another friend - a close friend who was like a brother to him.
With Thanatos it was different. Thanatos was using him; that was the truth. Thus, he felt no guilt in using him back.
Luke looked downright murderous as he glared down at them. He seemed to be an inch away from beating up the son of Poseidon.
The son of Hermes took a deep breath, exhaling it harshly as he looked up at the sky. He grabbed Percy by the armor once more, butting their foreheads together hard enough that the son of Poseidon winced in the slight pain. But Luke just looked directly into his eyes, his cobalt-blue ones promising him a world of pain.
"You better keep that promise, or else I'd have that witch resurrect you just so I can kill you myself. Don't think you're getting off easy once all of this is over," Luke warned, letting him go with a final glare before joining the others.
From the son of Hermes' side, Annabeth flashed Percy an apologetic smile, the expression morphing into a grimace once Luke was close enough to her. Percy would bet that Luke was cussing out his name harshly at the moment, and Annabeth unfortunately had to be the one hearing them.
"He can actually do that," Thanatos informed the son of Poseidon as they headed inside the palace, closing the doors behind them.
There was an eerie silence as they entered, almost as if the place was uninhabited if not for the candles that lit up the place. They were arranged in a specific way, the trail seeming to lead them specifically to the throne room at the end of a long hallway.
"What?" Percy asked, frowning, not processing what the suzerain was commenting on.
"Get Lou Ellen to resurrect you," Thanatos explained as they walked forward. "It could probably be done with magic. But if he intends to kill you, the sacrifices would have been wasted."
The son of Poseidon looked at him as if he was weighing if Thanatos was joking at that moment, and if so, if it was an appropriate time to do so. But the suzerain looked so serious that Percy had to wonder why he would even suggest that. Was it part of his morbid humor? The three male members of the Skotádian household had that as a common personality.
"I don't think Luke would actually do it," Percy said slowly. "He's just… trying to act like an older brother for Nico. That's all."
Percy had to redirect his attention to the path in front of him to avoid seeing how Thanatos would react to his response. He had no intention to offend Thanatos; he just wanted to explain why the son of Hermes was acting the way he was earlier. He didn't want to invalidate the suzerain as the actual older brother of his lover. In comparison to Heracles and Triton, he was leagues better than them. Nico got the better end of the stick in that regard, and given the rest of his life, it was well-deserved.
"You don't have to worry about dying. Lucas might not consider doing it, but I might," Thanatos said, looking ahead. "You make my brother happy. I don't want him to lose any more than he already had."
"I'm not worried. I have no plans to die tonight," Percy declared as he placed a hand on the door.
"Unfortunately, so do I." The son of Poseidon heard the suzerain murmur in a low voice, but before he could question what Thanatos meant, the latter had already pushed the door open.
"Thanatos." A huge, muscular man adorned in Celestial Bronze armor stood in the middle of the room as he greeted the suzerain of Skotádi with a vicious sneer, tugging at multiple scars that marred his cheeks. In one of his hands, he held onto Chyméno Aíma - an Imperial Gold spear with intricate designs on its handle. A simple blade, but an efficient one for its wielder. A deadly one.
On one corner of the room was a beautiful blonde woman reclining on a loveseat, her turquoise-colored eyes fixed on the man who addressed Thanatos. What stood out was, amid all of this, it was Triton who was seated on the golden throne for the district's suzerain, looking down on them with little to no interest in his sea-green eyes. Both sons of Poseidon and Hades stared at him with differing expressions on their faces before Thanatos tore his eyes away to acknowledge his counterpart.
"Lord Ares," Thanatos addressed the man who called out his name. Blood-red eyes stared at honey-gold ones with a scrutinizing gaze before the suzerain of Pólemos sighed in genuine disappointment.
"It's a waste, Thanatos. I thought we could have swayed you to our side," Ares mused as he twirled his spear around his body with practiced ease before pointing the spearhead at the son of Hades. "Heracles is a piece of work, but I much prefer you. Then again, everyone prefers you."
"I wouldn't have joined. It was a losing cause." Honey-gold eyes did not miss how Poseidon's eldest son flinched slightly at Lord Ares' earlier implication.
"Perhaps. But if you had been on our side-"
"It was never going to happen," Thanatos firmly established his side in the war, his lips pressed into a thin line as he responded with a hint of finality. Ares did not like that, his eyes hardening.
"... Pity," was all the suzerain of Pólemos could say. "I hold so much respect for you, regardless that your father and I don't see eye-to-eye. You understood all of this better than anyone else. But I guess this is the final time we will be sparring then. Truly a pity."
Thanatos said nothing in response as he unsheathed his sword from its scabbard before he determinedly approached his opponent. He did not hold the same sentiments - he could now allow himself to do so.
"You're here without Hades' spawn. Did he die?" Triton began, raising his voice over the loud grating sound of metal clanging. One of Percy's brows raised in response to the question, wondering if he misheard the lack of malice or mockery in the tone of his voice. There was just… genuine curiosity, despite the phrasing.
"No. You couldn't have killed him. I wouldn't have allowed him to die," Percy responded truthfully.
The sound of two blades clashing repeatedly filled the silence that settled between them. Neither of them paid attention to the duel that was happening at their side, identical sea-green eyes staring at each other for a short span of time before Triton sighed, rising from his seat on the throne. On one hand, he already had his sword drawn as he carefully stepped down the steps before stopping a few feet away from his half-brother.
"Let's end this, once and for all," Triton finally declared, pointing his sword in his brother's chest. "This can only end with one of us dead. If you can't kill me again, then be prepared to finally die."
"Yes… let's end this here. This has gone long enough," Percy agreed as he drew Anaklusmos. It had gone for far too long.
Neither of them held back anything this time, the two Celestial Bronze swords clashing repeatedly, sparking with each successful parry. Neither of their expressions changed in that entire time, with Percy looking emotionless whereas Triton looked absolutely disinterested. They exchanged blows just as fiercely as Thanatos and Ares at their side, but both could feel that something was wrong with the other. Both could feel that this - between them - was wrong.
Percy held nothing back, moving ruthlessly as he stepped close, swinging his sword in a wide arc, cutting the skin of one of Triton's cheeks as the blade was aimed at his head. If the eldest son of Poseidon did not back away at the last second, he would have already been beheaded. But Percy took no satisfaction or joy in the injury, aggressively pushing Triton back with the insane number of times he dealt blow after blow without any pause.
Triton could feel the radiating anger in the younger male - he could finally see the storm in his eyes as the waves of anger consumed him, dragged him to the depths of darkness. In that moment, it was as if he was finally looking at a version of his brother that was the truest, the rawest version of Perseus Tzákson he had ever come to see. From his peripheral, he could see Lord Ares struggling against Thanatos, with the latter easily dodging the thrust attacks from the former's spear. Triton did not dwell long enough on it, not when he had a deadlier opponent in front of him. Not when he was aware of what the outcome would be between the other two combatants.
He would take it to his grave, but from the moment they had entered the room, Triton already knew that this was a losing game for their side. He had already weighed everything in his head; he was already prepared to die in the hands of his brother. There was no point in avoiding the inevitable. If he lived, he would still be treated as a traitor. He would either live the rest of his life as an outcast from any district, imprisoned for a lifetime or be publicly executed. There was no honor on either of the three, and despite his anger towards their father, he still treasured his mother dearly to drag her name into shame. In death, there was at least a level of ignorance. Whatever they were to do with his body did not concern him. At the very least, he would be sparing his mother from a greater pain.
The only reason he was fighting, one might ask? Well…
As expected, Percy disarmed him within minutes, before delivering a crushing kick to his chest that sent him slamming against a column. There were probably broken bones, causing him to wheeze in pain, but there was also a buzzing in his ears as he struggled to clear his head due to the sudden impact to the back of his head. When his vision cleared, he was met with the tip of Anaklusmos inches away from his face. Beyond the blade, Triton clearly saw the moment Thanatos saw an opening in Ares' defense, ducking past his spear before he impaled the man's heart with his sword. It was expected, Triton thought in his head, forcing himself to kneel as he watched Thanatos wrench out his sword, Lord Ares dropping unceremoniously to the ground, his blood pooling around his slowly dying body. This was within his expectations how this confrontation would go - Ares and him dead.
"You weren't fighting me properly," Percy remarked, his blade still pointed at his half-brother. "Why?"
"What do you think awaits me beyond this room aside from death?" Triton had the audacity to mock, even in his current position. But that was the truth. It was the only truth from the moment Perseus and Thanatos entered the room. Only Ares did not realize that, or perhaps he had too much of his pride to admit the truth that was so obviously in front of them.
"Just kill me," his brother breathed harshly, but the resignation was evident in his voice. He had truly given up. He had nothing within his hands - within his life - at that moment.
They were more alike than they realized, Percy thought in that moment as he looked into those sea-green eyes that were hauntingly so alike his in that moment. Both strived to earn the acceptance of their district - their father's approval - and both lived with the fear of being casted aside when people stopped seeing value in them. They weren't so different in that regard. They had to grow up so quickly at a young age to survive. In the end, that was all there was to it: both wanted to survive. Both were willing to sacrifice everything to protect the world they had built.
"KILL ME!"
THUD!
"... In the end, you can't even kill me," Triton shook his head in disbelief, staring at the Celestial Bronze sword that was stabbed to the ground mere inches from his face.
It was not that Percy couldn't kill him. Just as much as Percy's life wasn't for Triton to take, Triton's life wasn't his. He knew his brother wouldn't come to the same realization as him, and that was fine. He wasn't obligated to make him believe.
"You're not worth my conscience. But I still have to make you pay the price," was all that Percy said before he raised Anaklusmos once more and brought it down hard, slicing off his brother's arm that was attached to the hand that stabbed Niccolò di Angelo.
"Hhngh!" Triton barely managed to bite down on his lower lip, holding himself back from vocalizing the searing pain that engulfed his arm in that moment. However, he could not hold back a sharp hiss as he pressed his forehead to the ground, clutching onto his arm as it bled out all over the floor.
Triton had to weakly laugh at his own state as he watched his half-brother walk away from him. Was this his form of mercy? Or was this his form of punishment? He would like to think it was the latter, then perhaps he could still easily justify his anger to the bitter end. Death would be kinder.
"What are you doing here...? Are you here to mock me as well...?" Triton asked Thanatos as the man approached him slowly, not looking at the younger son of Poseidon as the two passed each other. He looked up pathetically at the man from his position on the floor. There was something indiscernible in those honey-gold eyes as the suzerain knelt beside him, his free hand clutching at one of his shoulders firmly yet gently as he forced Triton back to his original position.
"No. I came to do what I must do." For a brief second, Triton saw regret flash in his eyes before a sharp pain bloomed in his chest. Percy turned back just in time to watch as Thanatos drove his sword into Triton's chest in one thrust.
There was surprise in Triton's eyes, which then gradually morphed to acceptance and understanding as he patted the man's arms with his remaining hand, silently requesting for the blade to be pulled. The suzerain of Skotádi did so with a slight tremble in his hands. Blood immediately started spilling rapidly onto the floor, pooling at their feet. But none of them minded it as Thanatos carefully pressed his forehead against Triton's shoulder as if all energy left his body, his sword clattering to the ground pathetically.
"Thank you, my friend," Triton whispered with a rare gentleness in his voice, his consciousness slowly slipping away from the increasing loss of blood. "I didn't want it to be like this. I didn't want it to be you. I... I just want-"
"Shh... It's okay. I know," Thanatos hushed him, not wanting him to waste any more energy. But it was as if Triton did not hear him as he continued speaking, eyes darting towards his half-brother who was only staring wordlessly at them, his expression conflicted.
"He won't make it without you," Triton claimed while staring at Percy. His vision was starting to blur, but he stubbornly held on. There was so much he wanted to tell his friend; so many years wasted wallowing in his self-imposed hatred. "Shape him up. I'll only accept him if you do."
"Of course. Anything you want, Triton." At this point, Triton could say anything, and Thanatos would simply agree to it.
"And Grace too. He's a bigger mess."
"Heracles was a bigger mess too."
"Damn right he was," the first heir of Thálassa chuckled only for a second before the sharp pain forced him to stop with a hiss.
He could feel a growing numbness spreading throughout his body, and his breath became labored as blood started filling up his lungs, making it difficult to breath. It was becoming increasingly difficult to focus - to identify what was still real and what was not - but there was no mistaking the sudden wetness on his shoulder.
"Why are you crying...?" Triton asked, wanting to look at the older male, but finding that he had no more strength to spare. It was taking everything in him to speak. "Hold your head high... You're a ruler - people need someone strong to look up to… Don't cry so shamefully. Crying won't change a thing, since the world isn't kind to anyone..."
"I'm not. I'm not crying," Thanatos denied in a leveled voice that Triton almost believed in him. But in the distance between them, the son of Poseidon could feel the miniscule trembling of the other male's body.
"Ah… must be just blood then…" he decided not to press. His energy was leaving him fast. His body felt cold… so cold…
He would have wanted someone to beg for his life. For someone to ask to save him so he could live. For someone to want him to live. But he knew that his time had finally come. He knew no one would do such a thing for him. This loneliness was his price to pay for the crimes he committed - for the lives he took for granted.
The darkness that waited ahead was not comforting. But in the arms of the man he once called a friend, it was easier to cross the threshold of death.
"Thanatos?" He called out, his voice a mere whisper now.
"Yes?"
If things had been different, perhaps he would have lived a more fulfilling life. If things had been different, perhaps he would not have nothing to show as proof of his existence. If things had been different… perhaps, in a different lifetime…
Out of all things he could have said, there was only one thing he did manage to say, filled with the regrets of the wasted years.
"I'm sorry," were his final words as his eyes finally closed, and his hand fell limply to the floor. Life had finally drained out of his body, leaving nothing but an empty shell behind. The room fell silent once more, the only sound the soft dripping of blood as it pooled around his lifeless form.
"He didn't ask for any of this," Thanatos said in a low voice without facing the other living son of Poseidon. With a gentleness Percy never knew Thanatos possessed, the suzerain properly laid the son of Poseidon on the ground.
"None of us did," Percy said, looking at his dead brother.
It was the truth, and nothing but the cold, harsh truth. All of them were just born to their lives; it was never their decision to make. Everything was predetermined for them since birth, but that didn't excuse the decisions that they make in life. At some point, they just had to face the consequences of these decisions. It was that: nothing more, nothing less.
Whether Thanatos understood what he meant or not, Percy didn't know. Numbly, he walked up to the corpse of the suzerain of Pólemos, his blade dragging behind him against the floor. He still had another promise to keep.
With a heavy swing, he decapitated Ares.
"I need to know: Why? Why did you sacrifice your district to them?" The son of Poseidon questioned, acknowledging the suzerain of Agápi without looking at her as she remained seated and silent the entire time. She was no warrior, that much he could tell. There was no need for him to be on guard with her.
"They would have taken it either way," Aphrodite answered, leaning back against her seat while her eyes remained on Ares' head. There was an emptiness in her eyes that - if Percy had looked - he would have understood. "I couldn't oppose him as well. He is - was - my lover."
"For him, you let your people be killed like cattle to a slaughter."
"We sacrificed a lot in the name of love. Both of us," she claimed with a half-amused smile as she gazed at the son of Poseidon. "I can tell you were never here for the same reason as the rest of them. Zeus loves power. Ares loves war. Everything is driven by love, taking on different forms. Even your presence here. You stand here as well, all in the name of love."
"You and I are not so different, Perseus Tzákson. We have nothing to gain, but everything to lose. Both of us are willing to sacrifice everything in the name of the person we hold dearest. 'All in the name of love'," she repeated, as if in mockery of their situation.
He couldn't bring himself to refute her claims. What Aphrodite said was true. He wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Nico. He willingly sacrificed his position to his district and his life, all for Nico. All because he loved him with an intensity that overwhelmed his entire being. All because of love. He was a hypocrite for condemning her when he himself had the same reasons as she did.
"Leave us alone for now. Please, son of Poseidon," Thanatos said in a low voice, prompting Percy to move.
Percy spared no further glance to either of the suzerains as he left the throne room, Ares' head in one of his hands. Despite the war not being over, it felt as if it had already reached its end here.
"All hail Perseus Tzákson, future ruler of the district of Thálassa…" Aphrodite's last words haunted him as he closed the doors to the throne room behind him.
The heavens seemed to agree with his thoughts as there was already a heavy downpour outside as he stepped out. Although the battle was still ongoing, he was already holding its end in his hand.
The son of Hermes and daughter of Athena stubbornly waited for him outside, and once they spotted the son of Poseidon emerging from inside, they immediately rushed to his side.
"... Percy?" Annabeth hesitantly called out to him when he offered them no response. "Are you alright?"
Was he?
"... Yes. Here. Take this." Percy handed the son of Hermes the head of the suzerain of Pólemos, with Luke receiving it with a flinch. "This should end the battle here. It's enough…"
Yes, it was enough. The damage they had done here was enough.
"Both of you go ahead. I'll wait for Thanatos."
Perhaps they saw something in his face - something shattered in his eyes - for them to wordlessly agree, cautiously walking away from him. He leaned back against the walls of the palace, finding the smallest of comfort in letting the rain soak into his skin, as if that would wash away his sins.
What was the end he wanted to see in coming here? He was certain that he was just a step away from the finish line, but he still couldn't find what it was he wanted to see in the end. What did he come here to do?
I came to do what I must do.
For Thanatos, his answer was clear. For Thanatos, there was an inevitability to his answer: He knew he had to kill Triton.
Did Lord Hades instigate it? Was this what he meant when he said that Percy definitely won't make the same mistake twice? Did Thanatos know all this time that he had to be the one to do it? Percy couldn't get out of his head how shattered Thanatos looked from the back.
He looked as if he was feeling a pain much worse than mine, Percy thought to himself as he leaned back, closing his eyes and clenching his teeth as the son of Hades let out heart wrenching cries from inside, the sound echoing in the empty halls.
Why does this victory feel so hollow?
As he raised his head to the sky, Percy didn't know where the raindrops ended, and his tears began.
.
.
.
Translations: Chyméno Aíma - Spilled Blood
Author's Note: The chapter title is based on the song "Rain" from FullMetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. The whole chapter just had that vibe to it, especially the last bit with Triton. In my heart, for weeks now, I knew it had to be Rain while I was on the bus listening to it while it was raining lol.
Anyway, this is the last chapter with heavy violence, etc. The next one is a bit more… I would say lighter, but there are contexts that's just sad. I'm not sure if I implied enough about Thanatos' relationship with Triton. I think I did have some implication in chapter 19, and in the previous chapters as well. Very subtle, but if you caught onto that, good job! If you don't, I don't blame you, because I'm not sure if it was subtle enough to imply or just negligible.