Chapter 43

The orders were given, and Percy knew what he had to do. In a moment of clarity he offered a prayer to his father, and exchanged a final look with the girl he loved before taking his trident like a baseball and slamming it into the ground causing a fissure to shoot through the center of the mountain. The monster army scattered and Percy cried out, "Twelfth Legion."

Bianca and Jason followed his words with, "Fulminata" which was echoed by the legion as Percy hurled himself forward with speeds enhanced by the River Styx. Krios looked eager to engage in combat with the demigods, but Percy hit the Titan like a freight train knocking the large humanoid off balance from a rumble, and slamming his trident into the humanoid. With no Titans in his way Percy decimated his way through the monster enemy line. Most were terrified to cross him, and as waves of undead warriors joined the legion in battle the rest were distracted as Bianca fought shoulder to shoulder with her best friend.

The enemy quickly swallowed them as it became 360 degree combat. Bianca had his back guarded as he plowed through the enemy line. A roar of rage, and a flash of lightning indicated to Percy and the daughter of Pluto that Jason had engaged the Titan on the battlefield, which only made the son of Neptune twirl his trident in vicious circles as he cut down more monsters desperate to get back to his cousin and provide any assistant he could.

The path to the door was a blur, and when Percy made it Bianca took the lead for a moment as she placed both hands on the ground, and screamed in exertion as the metal doors split, and collapsed on each side of them. The forces on the mountain top clearly wanted to interfere, but the legion was bloodthirsty in their effort to hold the attention of the monster army.

It could hardly be said the two walked in unscathed, but as they hit the stairwell devoid of enemies they broke out into a run in hopes of reaching the Black Throne as quickly as possible. The stairwell was disturbingly empty, and Percy in his haste to make it to the top hardly thought of what could await them. With the Titan outside fighting Jason they didn't consider what might have been left behind to defend the Throne. With no monsters in sight it all seemed too easy though, something Bianca noticed with increasing trepidation.

There was no hesitation from the son of the sea as he approached the throne room doors and threw them open. The moment his eyes went through the hall though Percy knew they were in trouble. A familiar monster of a man sat on the Black Throne, and the grip on Percy's trident tightened. Bianca gasped, and whispered, "No it can't be."

The Titan of the West rose to his feet. His bronze armor, which had to be impossibly heavy, seemed weightless on the eight foot man as he pulled the javelin off his back, "Percy Jackson. A rematch I have long awaited."

A lead ball of nerves sat in Percy's stomach, and the pale look on Bianca's face told him all that he needed to know. They were in trouble. Even together fighting this particular Titan would not be an easy victory.

Getting to observe the Black Throne behind the Titan Percy knew what their true target was. The massive black and gold throne that was clearly sized for the Titan Lord had a golden scythe carved into it, and Percy could feel the power radiating across the room. Calling out with a voice that Percy hoped sounded confident he said, "Atlas, I see you are freed of your burden. Which poor soul holds it now?"

Snorting, the man strode forward closing the distance between the three, "Poor soul? My dear Percy Jackson, I think you underestimate the power of my uncle. Our Lord Saturn decimated the burden, and reunited the Sky and the Earth. Our mother will stir before long, and the end of Olympus will follow."

The two stared in shock at what the Titan proclaimed, hardly believing it. Bianca stood tall however as she stepped beside her boyfriend, "Percy nearly beat you with the help of your daughter. I promise you that you will get no mercy from us. You will hardly be the first powerful entity we have defeated."

Atlas chuckled, and Percy was impressed with the girl's nerves, "Oh Ms. DiAngelo, if you think my brother only left Krios and I to defend his throne then you are sorely mistaken."

A loud booming laughter entered the room as a Titan with silver hair, and silver amor entered the room from the shadows. A large spear was on his back, and the man had a smile that sent a chill down Percy's spine. Three Titans on Mount Othrys? They were dead, and the River Styx would not change that. Percy glared at the new arrival, "Who are you?"

Atlas held his arm out as the silver haired Titan came to his side, "This is my father Iapetus. In the golden age we called him the impaler. Your idiot Greek friends thought they could brainwash a Titan, and rename him Bob, but the Lethe is not all powerful. My fathers brother, Lord Saturn, was able to reverse the damage with little issue. He hasn't quite gained his words back, but his skills are as legendary as ever, and his hatred for demigods has increased tenfold."

Iapetus glared at the two demigods before him as he drove his spear into the ground as if it were butter. Percy glanced at Bianca who had a resigned look on her face. They were going to die. There was no question. Taking Atlas was not going to be an easy task, but two Titans where they would have to each take one? Impossible.

Atlas spun his javelin in a quick pattern, and held it behind his back as he grinned, "Don't you see demigods. You. Are. Doomed."

Percy took a deep breath as he adjusted his armor and helmet, "Bianca run. Go back to Jason. Defeat Krios, and bring the army here. It's our only hope. We can't beat both of them. Not just the two of us."

Growling, the girl grabbed his arm hard, "I am not leaving you."

"It's an order Bianca." Percy said back fiercely as he observed Iapetus grinning at them taking slow intentional steps in their direction, "Bianca you have to go…NOW!"

Iapteus was moving now, and Percy raised his trident to defend them, but before the impact could happen a massive wall of black power came up from the ground, and launched the Titan backwards making him bounce off the Black Throne hard. Atlas roared in rage, and a chuckle rang throughout the room, "Oh my, Uncle, I think that hurt. I will ask you not to attack my daughter, and nephew."

A man in black red hellfire armor stepped into the throne room with a wicked five foot long black sword in his hand. The armor was traditionally Roman, and the lord of the Underworld flicked his black hood down showing his clean shaven face, and the helm of darkness appeared on top of his head. A surge of adrenaline shot through Percy as he realized that Nico and Bianca's father answered their cry for help.

Percy couldn't stop the smile that formed on his face as Bianca's jaw had remained open as Lord Pluto strides forward to be at their side. The man put a finger under his daughter's jaw closing her mouth as he grinned, "Hello daughter. Your little brother sends his regards, but he has his own Titan to defeat. The son of Jupiter and my son are throwing up a fight that will certainly see Krios in Tartaturus shortly, but I implore you to focus, because we have a battle to win."

"Pluto." Atlas spat as Iapteus returned to his side in a flash, his eyes turning silver with rage, "How dare you interfere in our victory."

Pluto raised his eyebrows at the man, "You threaten Western Civilization, threaten to kill my only two living children, and my favorite nephew, yet you expect me not to interfere? I assure you the only thing that awaits you is a long stent in Tartarus. There will be no burden for you this time, Atlas. Had my brothers listened to me at the end of the last war you would've been chopped into little pieces just like my father. You were too dangerous to be left alive, but no matter, as the second oldest son of Rhea I am here to right the wrongs of my family."

"When have the Olympians ever done anything for you?" Atlas snarled, "They banished you to the Underworld, they-"

"Yes I know, I know." Pluto said with a yawn, "Can we skip this part, and start the fighting? It seems the fight my Nephew craved two years ago is finally upon us. I would rather we get on with it so I can join my siblings in the fight against Typhon. We do have a war to win after all."

"Handle Iapetus." Pluto Commanded, "My cousin and I have some unresolved issues that need to be explored. When you are finished, perhaps you can join us."

Percy grinned as he turned to face Bianca who had a matching smile, "With pleasure uncle."

In a flash the lord of the Underworld surged forward, and engaged Atlas not even bothering to exchange any further pleasantries.

Bianca growled out, "Let's kill this Titan."

The Silver Titan glared at the two, and rushed forward to meet them, but Percy matched him step for step as he raised his trident deflecting the first blow of the spear with an impact that sent him backwards at least a foot, but the black haired girl was at his side in a moment with both her stygian iron swords engaging the man in a twirl like motion. Before Iapetus could return the attack Percy was re-engaging in a heartbeat.

When Percy and Impaler locked in a clash Bianca swiped both her swords into the man's legs drawing first blood. Iapetus attempted to kick the daughter of Pluto, but she disappeared in an instant, and came in from the other side finding weak points in the man's armor driving one sword into the man's side, while slashing through his back in two quick motions. As Iapteus tried to dislodge the girls head from her shoulders Percy rammed his trident into the Titan's stomach, and then tried to quickly follow it up with a strike to the throat, but Iapetus deflected the strike with a gauntlet on his arm, and batted Percy away like a baseball across the room. By this time Bianca had disappeared again, appearing at Percy's side across the room. The man was leaking ichor everywhere as he removed one of Bianca's swords from his side, and dropped it on the ground with fury written plainly on his face.

"Come on Bob, I can see how my friends kicked your ass the first time if this is all you have had." Percy taunted before turning to whisper to Bianca, "Get your other sword back. He can't bleed forever. We will remove his damn head if we have too."

Nodding in understanding Bianca disappeared, but did not immediately reappear as Percy barely had time to raise his trident to defend himself from the enraged silver eyed Immortal. With no time to parry, Percy found himself on defense, and taking immensely painful blows on occasion that slipped his defense. Without the Styx blessing he would be long dead, but when they locked in another stalemate the man was spittling with rage. Percy however gave the man a cheeky grin as his black haired girl came flying down from above swinging her sword with all her might dislodging the man's head from his body causing golden ichor to spew out everywhere.

Percy spat ichor immediately wiping at his face as the girl rose to her feet, both swords in hands looking incredibly dangerous. She wrinkled her nose at him, "Good distraction. I think I got him."

Rolling his eyes Percy looked to the still moving eyes of the immortal as he kicked the head across the room hoping to further separate the body from the fallen Titan. Bianca and Percy exchanged looks for a moment, and he wanted to say so much, but before he could she grinned at him, "One down two to go. Let's go help my father end this."

For the first time Percy was given time to glance over at the fight between the Titan of Endurance and the Lord of the Underworld, and what he saw made him swallow hard. Clearly Atlas had been freed of his burden for sometime, because the man was even faster than when they had last faced each other. Lord Pluto was no slouch however as his sword was a blur, and godly energy would occasionally blast towards the Titan keeping the man off balance. A lightning blast made Percy frown as he realized what still awaited them. He also realized that Bianca could not survive the encounter that would follow, "Go help your brother and Jason. I will help your father end this, and destroy the Black Throne. Go put an end to a second Titan, and lead our forces to this room. Atlas will not go down easily, but the amount of divine energy going through this room would be fatal to you."

Bianca bit her lip for a moment, clearly contemplating her options before nodding before placing a hand on her boyfriend's face and leaning in on her tiptoes for a kiss. The two held the moment longer than perhaps appropriate, but when they separated she gave him a nod, "I will be back."

Before Percy could wish her luck she disappeared, and the son of Neptune cracked his neck from side to side as he watched the fight with morbid fascination. Deciding there was no time like the present, Percy in a flash entered the fray from behind impaling the Titan of the West in the back. Atlas roared in agony, backhanding Percy hard across the face, but not before he could place both hands on his trident and recoil backwards with his weapon in his hand. The pause in the battle allowed Pluto to roar with power and blast the Titan across the room with godly energy, "Well done Perseus. It seems you have been a better influence on my daughter than I could have imagined. She currently has the only Titan kill in this war. Today is a great day for the house of the Underworld as I intend to claim the second."

Grinning at his uncle, Percy turned to face the rising Titan that was heaving for breath. The son of the sea said, "We will just have to see who lands the killing blow Uncle. I am feeling left out, and I can't allow your daughter to have this over me."

"Let's finish what we should've started those years ago."

"Together." Percy answered his uncle as he dove towards the charging Titan.

Knocking Atlas off balance with a slide forward Pluto batted the man into the wall with a massive blow from his sword. With a roar of rage Atlas was surging on the man with a speed Percy had never seen. Attempting to distract the Titan Percy tried to strike from behind, but the javelin came from nowhere hitting him in the head making his legs crumple from the force of the blow. While his skin was invulnerable he felt the strike that would've turned his brain to jello had he not been giving the blessing of the Styx. Rising back to his feet with shaky legs Percy grunted as he watched Atlas land multiple blows on Pluto with blood lust in his eyes. For the first time Harry saw his uncle's eyes widen with a hint of fear, and Percy knew they were in trouble. He was hardly in any condition to rejoin a weapon to weapon fight, and it was time to call upon his father's powers.

In desperation Percy raised both his hands and screamed in exertion as he reached for his fathers domain. The air thickened to a point that it was hard to breathe, and Atlas turned to Percy with a look of surprise as he suddenly reached for his throat. Pluto did not waste a single moment as he surged forward swinging his black sword through the Titans body over and over again. A long moment passed where it seemed the sword had done nothing, and then suddenly the Titan collapsed with a lifeless expression in his eyes. Ichor pouring from every wound that Pluto had created.

The God of the Dead heaved for breath while rolling his neck around, and wincing at his injuries, "I think we can call that a draw Perseus. Well done. Freezing him in place with the humidity in the air…I thought your father had joined us for a moment."

Percy usually would've beamed with pride at the compliment, but instead he merely nodded having a hard time finding his words. Instead he walked towards the fallen spear of Iapetus. A silver weapon with an unknown origin. The spear could've weighed fifty pounds, and the demigod leveraged it against his shoulder as he moved to the fallen javelin, and picked it up before rising to his feet and stepping towards his uncle who looked at him curiously. Finally Percy fell to one knee, "My lord, this victory could not have been had without you. I present you the javelin of Atlas, and the spear of Iapetus as tribute to your assistance in this victory. You may have saved Rome, and the World today. I am honored to be allied with the house of Pluto."

It was at this moment that the sound of clanging weapons could be heard, but Percy did not rise. He wanted his people to see this. The chant was clear. Two voices called out 'twelfth legion', and dozens, if not hundreds called back, 'Fuliminata' every few seconds. The battle cries of Jason Grace and Bianca Di Angelo followed, and suddenly the legion had filled into the throne room of Saturn. All had fallen silent at the sight of their leader on one knee, and as the room filled Jason stepped towards the demigod that was on his knees, and did something that surprised the room's occupants as he took a knee as well, Nico and Bianca shortly following behind him.

Following their leadership the twelfth legion knelt before the wide eyes of the Lord of the Underworld. Percy spoke with a smile taking over his face, "The legion is honored to have your assistance Lord Pluto. A shrine worthy of our battle will be built in the borders of Camp Jupiter. You have my word on this. You gave us the opportunity to take down two Titans, and if I am not mistaken your children assisted in the destruction of a third."

Jason spoke with his head bowed, "It's true my Lord. Your children fought by my side as I strangled the Titan Krios with my bare hands."

Percy raised his head in surprise at his cousin's words, and Pluto stepped away from Percy towards Jason with an even expression, "Did you say you strangled the Titan Krios?"

"Only until I could separate his head from his shoulders." Jason said, before quickly adding, "My Lord."

No one said a word for a moment, and then suddenly the Lord of the Underworld burst out laughing, "Now that is an achievement worthy of a child that is born to the King of Olympus. Rise Children of the gods. Let us end this battle once and for all."

All the demigods rose to their feet with a cheer as Percy felt the weight of the sword of Iapetus lifted from his shoulders. Rising to his feet with the eight foot javelin that once was in the hands of the Titan Atlas Percy looked puzzled at the Lord of the Underworld who had a maniacal smile on his face, "Come Consul. You assisted in the destruction of two Titans, but did not have a chance to deliver a finishing blow. I now offer you a chance to do something no mortal in history has done."

With a heave the sword of Iapetus was launched into the Black Throne causing the massive chair to crack right down the middle as the sword remained in the throne with golden energy pouring out. Pluto roared out, "Aim true Son of Neptune, Destroy the Black Throne, my fathers seat of power, once and for all."

Looking from the weapon, to his uncle, to the cracked throne, Percy grinned as the chants of Consul began to fill the room. With a deep breath Percy twirled the weapon over his head one time and launched forward as he leaped through the air slamming the javelin into the cracks of the Black Throne causing it to split all the way down the middle. With an eruption of power Percy was launched backwards, and his ears were ringing as he flopped across the floor.

His eyes were hazy as he rose from his knees to two hands that grabbed him and hoisted him to his feet. Jason's voice roared out, "Let's hear it for Consul Jackson. Destroyer of the Black Throne."

Pluto roared out, "To victory!"

The cries of the legion were thunderous, and Pluto surprised the entire room, by sweeping forward and embracing his daughter, son, and two nephews, "You all have done a great service to Western Civilization today. Now I am afraid it is time I go join my family in this war. We must defeat Typhon before he reaches Olympus. Perseus, I assure you that your side of the battle is not quite over. I trust you know what you must do next?"

Being released by his uncle and cousins Percy offered the man a nod, "I do Lord Pluto. Thank you. You can count on me."

The man grinned, "I know I can, just as I did all those years ago with the lives of my children. We will see each other again, my boy, on Olympus!"

With that the man crumbled into black dust, and disappeared.

The cheers following the man's departure were immense as the legion dropped their weapons, and began embracing each other. Percy however held a grim look on his face as he looked to each of his cousins, "This isn't over. You all know what comes next. Get the wounded back to camp, and raise what's left of the Praetorians. Tell them what we face, and inform them there is no dishonor in not facing what happens next."

Jason grinned at his brother in all but blood, "Don't underestimate our friends Percy. They still have some fight left in them."

"Let's hope we all do." Percy said solemnly as a small smile flitted across his face as Bianca came into his free arm as they watched the legion continue to celebrate their victory.

(A/N) This didn't quite live up to the hopes that I had for it, but I hope you all enjoyed it. We only have 2 or 3 chapters left in this story, and I look forward to sharing the end with you all. Stay tuned, and let's try to wrap this up before the New Year!