Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or the Heroes of Olympus Series.
Story: Champion of Olympus: Child of the First One
Chapter 20: Sacrifice
Third Person POV
Mount Olympus
Percy stood between Loki and the three immortals that were chained to the thrones. The two Cyclops rushed the Champion of Olympus, but Percy was too fast for them. He moved at the speed of sound as he dispatched the two monsters with Mjolnir. The monster's ashes hadn't even hit the floor before Percy stopped and stood in a defensive position against the Norse god of evil.
"Impressive," Loki said. He looked at the other side of the force field and smiled at Zeus. "I think we have a most impressive audience."
"Loki, I will not let you conduct the ceremony," Percy said.
Loki's evil grin spread across his face. The temperature in the room dropped until Percy could see his own breath. "I'd like to see you stop me," Loki said.
Percy growled and charged. He swung Mjolnir; Loki blocked the strike with his scythe. The clash of the two weapons sent a shockwave throughout the throne room. The demigods and gods that stood outside the force field were knocked off their feet.
Loki and Percy pressed their weapons together. "I have a new weapon now and I'm more powerful than you," Loki said. Percy pushed as hard as he could against the god, but Loki was strong, much stronger than before. Loki's dark eyes flashed with power before he pushed Percy back. The two weapons separated; Percy was thrown away from the god of evil. Percy landed on his feet. He was out of breath from the amount of energy he used.
Zeus and the others watched helplessly as Percy fought the Norse god. Athena stood next to her father with Annabeth at her side.
"Mom, we have to help him," Annabeth said.
Athena looked at her daughter sadly. "This fight has always been his. We trained him for this final battle. He'll make it," Athena reassured, but Annabeth could tell that her mother was worried.
Percy caught his breath. The Norse god was smart, but he was also cocky. Percy had to use that to his advantage. "You're pretty strong, but strength can only go so far. Courage will prevail and Thor always said you were a coward," Percy mocked.
Loki's dark eyes flashed with fire. His body was engulfed in flames as he unleashed a plume of fire at the Champion of Olympus. Percy smiled. He looked at Hestia and his eyes caught fire. Hestia was still chained to the hearth, but she smiled at the sight of her nephew. Percy's body was covered in flames as the fire from Loki's attack engulfed him. The flames finally ceased. Percy and Loki both returned to their normal forms, but Percy smiled the entire time.
"Is that all you got. I guess Thor was right," Percy said.
Loki screamed in rage as his eyes filled with light; the power of Hyperion. He unleashed a beam of power at Percy. Percy's eyes narrowed before he began to spin Mjolnir. The beam struck the weapon and bounced off. Loki intensified the beam, but Mjolnir never ceased its protection. Finally, Loki ceased his attack. He was out of breath and so was Percy.
"You are quite powerful, boy," Loki said. "However, I know your weakness. You are mortal and therefore you shall never defeat me."
Percy held Mjolnir tightly in his hand. Chaos had warned of this weakness. Unfortunately, Loki knew this as well. "I'm not afraid of you. I beat immortals before," Percy replied.
The air around Loki grew heavy and darkness surrounded the two combatants. "I've killed immortals. How can you stand up to me?" he questioned.
Percy's green eyes turned bright white. Loki's eyes were as black as coal. Light and Darkness, good and evil; this was the fight between the two forces that have struggled since time began.
Percy clutched Mjolnir in his hands. He willed the power of Hades to allow him to bend the shadows to his will. The darkness around the two began to swirl and push against them. Loki yelled and swung his scythe at the Champion of Olympus. Percy held Mjolnir tightly as the two weapons collided. An explosion shook the throne room again. The darkness exploded outward, Loki and Percy flew apart and landed on the marble floor roughly. They both stood up slowly. They eyed each other warily.
"You fight well Loki," Percy said.
Loki's evil grin spread across his face. "So do you Champion," Loki replied. Loki's body began to glow with a golden light. "However, all things must end." Loki's body began to shift and morph as he took on the shape of a thirty foot long king cobra. The creature's golden scales shined in the light of Olympus.
Athena and Annabeth stared at the giant snake in fear. They had never felt so much fear in their lives. Athena looked at the demigods and gods around her. She could sense their fear. "Loki's causing this," Athena said.
Annabeth could feel the fear and anxiety. She knew this was Loki's magic. She stared at Percy, but he stood straight and strong. The magic had no effect on him. "The magic doesn't bother Percy," Annabeth observed.
Athena stared at her little brother. "It appears that the blood of the Aesir makes him immune. I'm sure Loki won't like that," Athena reasoned.
The giant snake stared down upon the Champion of Olympus. Loki's red eyes stared into Percy's glowing white eyes. Loki could feel the fear around him, but Percy was anything but afraid.
"You don't scare me. I can feel you're magic. It doesn't affect me," Percy said.
"I will kill you," Loki said. He lunged forward with his jaws open. His large fangs dripped with green venom. The poison struck the marble floor and began to eat through the stone.
Percy watched the fangs closely. One thing about a snake its mouth is the dangerous part; that made things easier in a fight. Percy dove out of the way, but he willed the air in the room to strike the snake in the face. Loki was knocked to side as the winds smacked the snake aside. Percy moved quickly before he slammed Mjolnir onto the tail of the snake. Loki roared in anger before he snapped his tail backwards. The tail slammed into Percy's back and sent him flying into a wall across the throne room.
Annabeth and Athena gasped when Percy hit the stone wall. He fell to the floor. He left an impression of his body in the stone wall. Percy's armor had prevented him from death, but he had a long gash on his forehead and his mouth bled where he bit his lip. He crawled back up just in time to see the snake slowly move towards him. He had injured the snake's tail.
Loki in snake form glared at Percy with his red eyes. "I will make you sssuffer for that," he hissed.
The snake continued to crawl toward Percy. Percy stared at the snake; his mind raced with ideas. He saw rose bushes in planters near the edge of the thrones. The red roses shined in the light of the throne room, but the green thorns were easily visible. Percy concentrated on the bushes before they grew vines that moved toward the snake. The rose vines wrapped around the snake's body tightly. The snake hissed in pain as the giant thorns dug into the scales of the snake. Golden ichor flowed onto the ground. The snake pulled on the vines, but that only made the thorns dig deeper into the monster's flesh. The snake's red eyes began to glow before the golden scales began to brighten. The vines began to smoke as the creature's body started to heat up. Eventually the vines caught fire and burned away. The monster rose above Percy; its red eyes glowed as they stared into the Champion's bright white eyes.
"Niccce try Perccceeussss," the snake hissed.
Percy held Mjolnir with both hands and readied himself for the inevitable. The snake reared back and struck forward with its giant jaws. Percy swung Mjolnir at the same time. The weapon hit the monster in the jaw; the snake flew across the room and crashed into two of the thrones. Hephaestus and Hermes's throne shattered. The two gods sunk to their knees as their power drained. Ares and Dionysus helped the two sit down.
Percy looked at the limp body of the snake. He smelt something burning near him. He looked down and gasped. The green venom was burning through his armor. He closed his eyes. The armor began to glow before it disappeared. He took off his belt and threw it across the room before it melted into a puddle of molten metal and green poison.
The giant snake began to move once more. The creature turned toward Percy. The side of the snake's head was bloody and its fang was broken. The creature began to glow before it turned back into the god of evil. Loki staggered under the pain in his jaw. The side of his face dripped with ichor and the skin on his cheek was black from a massive bruise.
"You'll die for that," Loki growled.
Percy turned toward the god. His armor was gone, but Mjolnir was still in his hand. Percy was out of breath, but he gave the villain a cocky smirk. "You look good that way," Percy said sarcastically.
Loki's face turned red with anger. He looked at the thrones before his gaze rested on Hestia. "I think I'll hurt those you love," Loki threatened as he walked towards Hestia with his scythe raised in the air. He swung the blade, but Percy intercepted the weapon with Mjolnir. The two enemies struggled; they were both incredibly strong. Loki kicked forward and hit Percy in the stomach. Percy fell backwards from the hit. He felt a rib crack. He didn't have the armor to protect him. He needed to watch himself. "Not so cocky now."
Percy backed away from the hearth and Loki. The god of evil pursued his enemy. Percy moved toward the thrones. He saw Hera; she gave him a sad and desperate look. The sight broke his heart. He swung Mjolnir and broke the celestial bronze chains that held her. Percy moved out of the way; the scythe passed right over his head. Percy gave Loki a roundhouse kick to the leg sending the god to the ground. Percy looked back at Hera. "Free the others," he said.
Hera stood up: she walked toward Gaea and Rhea. Loki jumped in front of her and slapped her across the face. The strike knocked her into Zeus's throne. She fell to the floor unconscious.
Zeus screamed from the other side of the force field. Thalia and Jason stared at their adoptive mother. She didn't move. Tears flowed down Thalia's cheeks. Jason held his sister protectively.
Percy roared and charged Loki. He swung Mjolnir; the two weapons hit with the force of a lightning strike. The ground shook and the two enemies fell to the floor. Loki was the first to stand he walked toward Hestia determined to kill the goddess. He wanted to make Percy suffer. Percy rose to his knees; he followed Loki's gaze as the god walked toward his aunt. Percy looked at Mjolnir; he could only do one thing. He lifted his weapon and threw it at the hearth. The weapon flew through the air like a rocket, but Loki intercepted it with his scythe. Mjolnir fell to the ground and sunk into the marble floor. Percy concentrated on the weapon, but a pulse of energy surrounded the hammer of Thor. Percy watched in horror as Loki encased the hammer in a field of energy. Percy couldn't feel his connection to it anymore.
"It's over boy," Loki said. Loki raised his scythe to deal the final blow to the goddess of the home and hearth. The blade lowered, but a blur intercepted it. Percy stood in front of the god of evil. He held the blade of the scythe between his two hands. The blade hovered just above the Champion's chest. "You are a fool." Loki pushed with all his might as the blade cut through Percy's hands before it imbedded itself in the unprotected chest of the Champion. Percy fell to his knees.
Annabeth and the others screamed at the sight. Annabeth watched in horror as the blade sunk into her boyfriend's chest. His body began to glow as the bright white of his eyes faded. Loki smiled at his captive audience before he slipped his blade out of Percy's chest. Percy's body fell to the floor. A bright orb of energy escaped through the wound in Percy's chest. Loki tried to capture it, but it moved too fast. The orb flew up and through the ceiling. The orb flew into the night sky toward the center of universe and the void of Chaos.
Loki turned back toward Zeus and the others. "Now this world is mine," Loki said ominously.
AN: A surprising end to this chapter, but don't worry there is more to come with a few surprises as well, so stay tuned.