Chapter 3

There are nine gods and goddesses facing the Titans, of which there are seven, and Dean notes that all of them are male.

Beside him, Percy mutters angrily under his breath. "I thought we killed Hyperion?"

"It is not impossible for the Titan King to have recovered Hyperion," Castiel states.

"What's wrong with you, Cas?" Dean asks. "You obviously know a lot more than you're saying. Why won't you tell us?"

"I cannot. It is forbidden."

"Forbidden? By who?" Sam demands. "Cas, it would help to know what we're up against."

"It is forbidden by God Himself, Dean," Castiel states. "Even speaking his name is forbidden."

"Well, great. Another way God's fucked things up for us," Dean mutters.

Cas stiffens slightly at the blasphemy, but he's used to Dean's remarks by now.

"Hey," Thalia says quietly, "look."

Percy grits his teeth when he sees Kronos striding forwards, the Titans all withdrawing slightly at his presence. "Who're the other Titans?"

Apollo frowns slightly. "Kronos' five brothers – Oceanus, Koios, Krios, Hyperion and Iapetus – and the last two are Lelantos and Perses." He glances back at Dean and Sam. "Zeus says hide the stake in your jacket and join them. Maybe you can get a shot at Kronos."

Dean smiles grimly and nods. "Got it. Cas, you gonna join us?"

Castiel hesitates, before he sighs and nods. "Very well. I will join you."

"I'll run distraction with Cas," Dean says. "Go for the best shot you'll get, Sammy. We only have one chance."

Sam nods, slipping the stake into his jacket. "Let's go."

"—free rein to destroy everything," the Titan Apollo had identified as Perses says gleefully. "The little angel has Kronos pissed."

Kronos smiles faintly and gestures for the Titan to shut up, the smile dropping off his face when he sees Dean, Sam and Castiel approaching. "I told you to leave, Castiel."

"You did," Castiel agrees. "However, my mission is to protect Dean and Sam. That involves staying by them."

"Perhaps you misunderstood. Leave."

"I did not misunderstand."

"Can we continue killing them now, Uncle?" Perses demands.

Kronos doesn't break eye contact with Cas. "Leave the angel to me."

The fight instantly starts back up, and Dean, Cas and Sam make their way to Kronos.

"You're a dick, you know that, right?" Dean asks, a celestial bronze knife clutched in his hand. Beside him, Sam wields the demon knife and Cas his angel blade. As they approach, the scythe in Kronos' hand changes into a black sword.

"I have been told that before," Kronos replies. "But you… you have no clue what this is about, do you?"

Dean steps back as the sword cuts through the air. "This is about a bitch who's throwing a tantrum because he was replaced."

Kronos lets out a short laugh. "I am not Lucifer, Hunter."

Dean frowns slightly at the sharp barb directed towards the Devil. "I figured you two would be buddies."

"You figured wrong."

Dean blocks the sword this time, finding himself close enough to grab the Titan's wrist. Dean frowns at the heat coming off Luke's hand, despite it being covered by a gauntlet. The Titan smiles wickedly and backhands Dean across the street.

Before he can close in, Cas steps between them, angel blade held before him.

Kronos makes a sound of annoyance and amusement. "Really, Cas?"

"Dean is a righteous man."

"He's a dead man." Kronos stops. "I wouldn't do that, Sam."

Sam grits his teeth, already mid-leap. Kronos spins and knocks him aside, sending Cas flying with a simple flick of his wrist. Around them, the immortals fight, magic shooting through the air. Dean scrabbles for his gun, knowing that it won't hurt the bastard, but Kronos was getting way too close to Sammy for comfort.

Kronos chuckles, crouching down beside the still form of Sam. Sam groans and Dean easily recognises the magic of a demon that's holding Sam down.

"Hey!" he yells, realising that he's also trapped. "Get away from him, you son of a bitch!"

It works in getting Kronos' attention, golden eyes narrowing into slits. "Son of a bitch," Kronos echoes tonelessly. "Human, you shouldn't say that to me."

"Yeah? What are you gonna do about it?"

Sam takes the opportunity.

It happens with the sound of a loud collision, the stake – having been hardened by Artemis to be able to rip through armour – easily passes through the metal armour. There's brief resistance, before the wood slides into Luke's chest, the sound like metal clashing with stone.

Sam, emboldened by the sudden give, thrusts the stake further until the point sticks out of Luke's back.

Then the Hunter lets go, staggering back and watching as Kronos drops to one knee. Blood seeps out of the miniscule gap between the stake and skin, dropping down onto the street.

The fighting stops, the Titans staring in utter astonishment.

Red lines spider web up Kronos' neck, the King letting out a pained grunt. He spits out blood. "Bastard."

Sam smiles grimly, looking down at Kronos. "You're not invincible."

Then Kronos starts shaking, and Dean realises that he's actually laughing. Slowly, he staggers to his feet. "Yes. Yes, I am." An arrow appears, still quivering, out of his forehead. "Really, Artemis, was that necessary?"

"The Achilles Curse is gone!" Zeus barks. "Kill him!"

A volley of light and arrows shoots towards Kronos, but he merely snaps his fingers, and it all freezes. "You'll have to try better than that." He turns his attention to the stake in his heart and grasps the end protruding from his front. The stake is tugged out, slick blood covering the end and Kronos' fingers, and then he brushes an index finger over the hole and it seals up. "Really. I have to keep Luke alive. It's part of our deal." He tilts his head to the side, eyes flickering to cerulean blue for a second. "I take my deals very seriously."

"Dean," Sam hisses, eyes flickering to the demon knife, just out of reach of Sam yet close enough to Dean.

"I admire your determination, humans," Kronos remarks quietly, studying them curiously. "For little ants, you know how to use everything you have. The question is, are you willing to lose everything you have?" He tugs the arrow out of his forehead and heals the injury. "You will, if you continue testing me."

"What are you?" Dean demands. "You're no pagan god. Otherwise that stake would've worked."

Kronos steps towards him. "How do you know?"

"Because it has worked before," Zeus says flatly. "Blood of a sacrificed golden eagle? My sacred animal, the one who defeated you before. Olive Branch and Vestal Virgins, both represent peace, the opposite of what a Titan is."

Kronos snorts. "Evidently, as I am here now, it did not work before. You fucked up."

"Listen here, you son of a bitch!" Dean exclaims, causing Kronos' eyes to narrow at him. "Shut the hell up, you—"

"Silence."

Dean's eyes widened when no voice came from his mouth, despite him trying to speak.

"What did you do?" Sam demands. Kronos flicks his wrist, pinning Sam to the ground again. Sam glares at him. "We'll stop you," he growls out painfully. "By God, we'll stop you."

"God is on no one's side," Kronos snaps.

Sam notes that he seems to have struck a nerve. "Yeah? Humans are God's favourites. Not immortal pagans, but humans."

Kronos hisses when Dean nicks his arm with a silver knife, spinning and backhanding the Hunter across the street. "I am no shapeshifter!" he roars.

Cas steps between the Titan and Dean. "You will not harm the Righteous Man."

"I do not think you have a say, little fledgling," Kronos growls.

Cas takes out his Angel Blade. "You will not harm him."

"They are interfering!"

"This is their fight," Cas states. "More than they know."

Kronos' eyes narrow, before he snarls and abruptly disappears, leaving nothing behind. Sam grunts as he staggers to his feet, the Titans disappearing in flashes of light.

"Damn it," Dean growls out. "So close."

"What is he?" Percy demands as he leaves the Empire State Building.

"His eyes, Dean," Sam presses. "You saw his eyes?"

Dean's eyes widen and he turns to Zeus. "That story about Kronos being cast into Tartarus, is it true?"

Zeus blinks. "Yes. Why?"

Sam steps forwards. "Tartarus is the Greek version of Hell, right?"

"It is," Hades says quietly. "And yes, mortal, there are several passages between Tartarus and Hell. There have been many times where I have sensed demons coming and going as they please."

"Dean, you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"What are you thinking?" Percy demands.

"Kronos was going on about keeping his deals," Sam says. "Demons like keeping their deals. He's been in Hell. Dean, he fits the MO almost perfectly."

"So what? We just walk up to him and shower him with holy water?" Dean asks.

"Well what else do you suggest?"

"I'm just saying, Sam, he threw Cas around like it was nothing! Maybe we've gotta be careful with this."

"If it's water," Poseidon says slowly, "I could do it."

Dean glances back at him. "Maybe… yeah, that could work. We need a way to watch him though, make sure there's no demonic signs."

"We have the shield," Annabeth says. "Maybe we can get it to focus on Kronos?"

"Let's give it a shot," Sam says. "We won't know if we don't try."