Chapter 7

The Titans didn't stop.

If anything, they attacked harder. The strategy was almost entirely different to the one that Kronos had been using, but there was still organisation, so they knew someone had taken over from Kronos.

It was three days after Castiel had taken Kronos to Heaven – two days after Percy's birthday – that the invasion changed its tone.

Dean looked to the sky. "Sammy, you see that?"

Sam's eyes widen. "Demons!" he yells.

The black cloud of demons closes in quickly, shooting into the prone humans scattered over the streets. Each and every one of them rises with black eyes.

"Son of a bitch," Dean breathes.

The Titans seem to have the same reaction, only they snap into action sooner.

"Hyperion," Oceanus roars, "fire!"

The Titan of Light slams him palm down into the ground, sending flames roaring outwards. The demons in the blast are burnt from their vessels.

"What's happening?" Percy yells, backing up as several demons approach him.

"They're demons," Sam explains, warding several off with the demon knife. "They're possessing the people."

The two armies evidently decided that the demons had to go, so they both turned their attention to killing them, but keeping as many mortals alive as they could.

Then the temperature drops.

Sam hesitates. "Dean… Dean, back up."

The five surrogate brothers of Kronos turn to face down the street.

"Lucifer," Dean growls, backing up to stand beside Sam.

Lucifer looks from the pagan Titans in front of him to Sam and Dean, then back to the Titans. "Where is my brother?"

"Up your ass," Hyperion snarls.

"Now that's not very nice, pagan," Lucifer muses. "I merely wish to speak with my brother."

"You are too late, Lucifer," Castiel states. "He is in Heaven."

"Then I shall wait."

"You're not going anywhere near Kronos," Hyperion spits out.

Lucifer flicks his wrist, sending Hyperion flying into the closest skyscraper. "That is not your decision."

Dean raises his gun and fires off a shot. Lucifer ignores the bullet which lands between his eyes. "Take them," he tells his demons as the bullet pops out.

Lucifer's demons force them to their knees in the Empire State building, the Devil walking behind them with a wide smile.

"What are you doing here?" Percy demands. "We have nothing to do with the Apocalypse!"

Lucifer turns to him and tilts his head to the side. "No?" he questions. "So you were not attempting to turn my brother so that he would try to kill me?"

"That wasn't him," Dean says sharply. "We wanted to know why he wasn't stepping up to take you down."

Lucifer sighs. "Oh, Dean, you really shouldn't try to do that. I like my brothers. Truly, I do. But if they get in my way… well, I might have to take him down. And I really don't want that. So, we're going to make a deal, Dean, Sammy."

"We're not making any deals with you," Sam snaps.

"Shame," Lucifer says quietly. "I'll have to convince you then." He glances at a demon using a middle-aged woman as a meat suit. "Meet Sally Jackson," he smiles.

"Mom," Percy breathes.

"Go ahead," Lucifer tells the demon. "Kill him."

"Percy!" Annabeth yells, struggling against the demon holding her back.

Percy's body makes a sickening thud as it collides with the glass, smashing through the entrance to the Empire State building. He struggles to his feet, backing up as the body of his mother stalks towards him.

"Mom, please," he urges, "don't."

Lucifer laughs as he watches. "The small of his back is his Heel," he advises the demon.

Percy's agonised scream makes even some of the Titans wince slightly. A crack of thunder echoes overhead in the cloudless sky, making Lucifer glance up to scan the blue expanse. He thoughtfully presses a finger to his lips. "Not enough, little brother?" he muses. "Then how about we hit closer to home?" he turns to face the six children of Kronos. "The little Nephilim… my brother truly has fallen low, to breed with a human." He studies them for several moments, before he gestures to Zeus. "Kill him."

Hyperion growls low in his throat. "You will not touch them," he hisses, the gods looking startled at the sudden defence from the Titan.

Lucifer stops before Hyperion. "And you will stop me?"

"I'll light your ass on fire, little—" Lucifer's punch completely knocks Hyperion out.

"Kill him," Lucifer repeats as ichor trickles from the Titan's mouth.

"You can't kill me," Zeus snaps. "I'm immortal."

Lucifer laughs. "No, you're really not. There are ways to kill you. There are ways to kill everyone. You simply have to know them. And you," he says, pointing at Zeus as he moves to crouch before Hyperion, "can easily be killed." He takes Backbiter from Hyperion. "By this sword, for one," he says, studying the blade. "My little brother knew he might not have his blade on him whenever an angel came calling, so he created this beautiful soul-splitter." Lucifer tests the balance of the blade. "A beautiful weapon, wouldn't you agree? The reason it hurts so much is because it's created to rip angels and demons from their vessels, splits the souls in a body. This time, it will split your soul, Zeus."

The demons drag Zeus outside, Lucifer trailing behind with Backbiter in his hands.

"No," Hestia growls, her other siblings struggling to run to their youngest brother.

Lucifer raises Backbiter as Zeus is forced to kneel before him, glaring up at the Devil. Storm clouds gather overhead, and Lucifer flies back into the side of a skyscraper, Backbiter falling from his hands. The demons holding Zeus wail in agony, before a light flashes inside their brain, illuminating their heads, and they crumple down onto the street.

A loud ringing noise has the glass imploding, street lights popping and sending the street plunging into darkness. The radios begin to play in every car on the street.

Then Kronos appears between Zeus and Lucifer, the black shadows of wings stretching out behind him. Luke's blue eyes blaze with golden energy.

Lucifer grunts as he stands, shaking his head slightly. "Such an explosive entrance," he complains. "Really, brother, I knew you were slumming it, but…" a look of clear disgust forms on his face, "I hope you didn't catch anything."

Kronos' eyes narrow. "I knew you were the Devil, but murdering a nephew merely to try to speak with me? That's asking for a fight, brother. Not a civilised conversation," he slowly holds his hands out to either side. "Fortunately for you, I've just had an argument with Michael and Raphael and am not in the mood to argue with another brother of mine."

"Good," Lucifer smiles. He gestures to Kronos. "New vessel, I see. We actually look like brothers now."

"I assure you, that was not my intent," Kronos grumbles. "Luke here… he's special."

"Your True Vessel?" Lucifer questions, mouth twitching up when Kronos doesn't answer. "I thought so. It explains why I sensed you from the other side of the country when you were trapped in that Holy Fire circle."

"As I said, Luke's special." Kronos dares to step within arms-reach of Lucifer, studying the Devil for several moments. "I have missed you," he finally admits.

Lucifer smiles slightly. "And I you, little brother."

Kronos pulls Lucifer into a hug, fisting his hands in the back of Lucifer's shirt. Across the street, Backbiter makes a quiet scraping sound as it edges across the road. Kronos shuts his eyes, gripping Lucifer tighter for a moment, before his gaze focuses on Backbiter. The blade leaps across the distance between them, smacking solidly into Kronos' open palm.

And his wrist is promptly twisted behind his back, the soul-splitter dropping from his hand.

Kronos grits his teeth.

"Did you really think," Lucifer hisses, "that would have worked?"

"I hoped it would," Kronos rasps.

Lucifer sneers. "Pretty words, little brother. Saying you miss me before trying to plant a blade through my back."

Kronos twists, wrenching his wrist away from Lucifer, and punches his brother in the chest. The Devil shoots into the side of a skyscraper.

Kronos glances back at Lucifer to check that he's not up, before he turns to Zeus and helps him up. Backbiter lands in his right hand and he passes the blade to Zeus. "Deal with the demons," he glances into the Empire State Building, "and free them. With the demons, only cut. No stabbing, and no severing. I will take Lucifer."

Zeus stares at Kronos for several moments, before he slowly takes the black blade. "We will talk after."

"Good."

The gods turns and runs towards the Empire State building.

Kronos takes a breath to steady his nerves before he slowly turns to face his wayward brother clambering from the rubble.

Lucifer spreads his arms out. "Brother, don't make me do this."

"No one can ever make us to anything," Kronos retorts. "And this is my invasion. Piss off."

"Let it never be said I didn't try," Lucifer says quietly.

"Trust me, it won't." Kronos slips his Archangel blade out of the sleeve of his jacket.

"Unarmed, my ass," Lucifer grumbles.

Kronos' mouth twitches up slightly. "You won't kill me."

"You are in my way," the Devil growls. "I don't want to do this, brother, but you're forcing my hand."

Kronos raises his blade and leaps across the street at Lucifer.