Ch65

Percy watched as the Hecate Cabin began to chant as a large misty ball appeared in the circle. "Are you sure about this?" he asked turning to Lou Ellen.

"It'll work hopefully my siblings on the other side hear it," Lou said.

He nodded. Hopefully they decide to join us even if we are barely holding on. Turning around he saw Ethan Nakamura approach him. The son of Nemesis was assigned to work wherever he wanted and had been helping the Hephaestus Cabin.

"You want to help too?" He asked.

Ethan nodded. "If any of my siblings could know that our mother can be honored I want them to know."

"Good. I appreciate what you both are doing," he said looking at them both. "Both of you have my word that I'll make sure anyone that comes to our side asking for help will receive it."

"It's ready," Circe said. "Lou dear you and the son of Nemesis can speak into it."

"Got it," Lou said. "Come on Ethan."

He watched as the two headed in front of the misty sphere which showed the skyline of New York City. Looking into it he saw the array of the Titan Army sprawled along the edges trying to advance forward.

"Children of Hecate I have come bearing a message," Lou said firmly. "The Titan Lord is using you and to him you are all nothing but canon fodder. Come to our side, our mother is waiting to embrace you. Do not let yourselves die at the cold hands of Kronos."

Ethan Nakamura stepped forward. "Our parents won't be appreciated by Kronos either. Do not fall for his deception. All those that join our side shall receive a full pardon."

Hopefully this works. They could only hold out for so long so any help they could get would be great.


Annabeth rubbed her bruises as she rested in the Titan camp. Damn I didn't expect Malcolm to be that strong. The memory of her brother's ferocious gaze as he blocked her attack and countered it still stung. I stabbed my brother with a poisoned knife.

Yeah she wasn't close with Malcolm the way his eyes nearly white sent shivers down her spine. I nearly killed my brother. She shook her head to prevent tears from falling. I wasn't that close with my siblings but I tried to kill one.

He hates me, he really does. She didn't know much about Malcolm but she understood his anger. I betrayed our mom, I'm literally fighting to take her down. Tears formed in her eyes at that thought. Grabbing a tissue she cleaned her eyes as the door to her tent opened and a familiar cold presence made the hairs on her neck stand up.

"You did your best to fight Percy Jackson," Kronos said his voice as cold as always.

She swallowed the lump in her throat, her body shaking as she met Kronos's gaze. Luke. She wanted to scream and call his name, he was in there she knew it but right now all she saw was the unwavering gaze of Kronos.

Kronos approached her and grabbed her chin forcing her to look at him. "You still failed in trying to kill him. You will have to do better to kill the son of Poseidon."

"I-I'll do my best my lord," she said softly her body shaking like a child as she stared into Kronos's eyes. "It was just the beginning. We will defeat him I swear," she said quickly her heart racing in her chest.

Kronos laughed and released his grip. "Don't worry we shall defeat these pitiful demigods soon. Come with me we must plan."

Taking a deep breath she nodded and followed the Titan lord our of the tent. Various monsters and demigods made way for them as they made their way to the main tent Kronos was using as a meeting room.

Kronos led her to a table with a map of New York City on it. Various soldiers were placed around the map while the Empire State Building was circled in red and surrounded by a bunch of orange blocks.

"The demigods are few in number but they are blocking our troops at every corner," Kronos said. "They think that they can pull off a Thermopylae but we outnumber these children." The Titan Lord turned to her with a hard gaze, "What do you think dear? What should we do?"

She swallowed the lump in her throat as she stared at the map. She could feel Kronos's gaze on her waiting for her response. "Our reports say that the Ares Cabin is still not on the battlefield, we must be cautious in case they come at the last minute. Other than that we should press on them on all sides don't give them a chance to escape."

"That is the strategy I plan on doing," Kronos said as he walked around the map. "As you told me earlier, any sea traffic is impossible. The sons of Poseidon have turned the rivers against us and their ships have been harassing our costal defenses."

The Titan Lord looked down at the pieces on the board. "These demigods won't last forever, we shall slay them and raise Olympus soon."

Kronos looked over the pieces on the board. "A new era will be made my dear. Just like Luke always wanted."

She flinched at the mention of Luke. He wouldn't want this. He wouldn't. Yet the words rang so hollow in her head. Yet here he is hosting Kronos and trying to destroy Olympus.

The door to the tent opened and Caenis walked in. "Lord Kronos when can I beat those punk sons of Poseidon?"

"Your revenge will be soon," Kronos said. "I want them to weep and wail and our might before finally crushing them."

She winced at his words yet Caenis laughed. "Sounds good. I'll be here warming up, my spear is itching for some action."

"Prepare well," Kronos said. "We will soon give the enemy a chance to surrender, if not you can take the children of Poseidon down. The sooner we do the better."

"Got it," Caenis said as she turned around and exited the tent.

"She'll be a great asset. The sons of Poseidon will meet their match that's for sure," Kronos said as he walked over to her and lifted her chin up.

Her body shook as she stared into Kronos's cold eyes. "M-My lord what is your command?"

Kronos gripped her chin so tightly she wanted to scream in pain but she held it in. "My dear I have a task for you."

She swallowed the lump in her throat. "What is it?"

"You shall go with Prometheus and under a white flag go meet these campers to deliver a message," Kronos said. "I shall kill or enslave each and every camper who doesn't surrender."

"U-Understood sir. But why me?" She asked.

Kronos grinned at her. "You know these campers I know you can probably convince them to lay down their arms." Kronos leaned in closer to her ear. "Make it as convincing as possible, we won't hesitate to annihilate the enemy."

Her body shook. Don't show fear. "I understand sir."

"Good," Kronos said releasing his grip on her. "Go now. Prometheus is waiting."

She did a stiff bow before leaving the tent. Calm down just do this. Her mind raced on what she could do to help Luke, it seemed like with each passing day she was seeing less and less of him in Kronos.

No I can't think like that. He is down there I know it, I just have to find a way for him to get back to his senses. She knew that if she were in distress he would come and save her, just like with what happened with Caenis but she wondered if she could find a way to produce such strong emotions to make Luke come to his senses again.

She quickly found Prometheus outside holding a Greek jar in his hands. "Hello dear come we shall go and meet these campers under a flag of truce."

He handed her a white flag which she took with trembling hands. "Lets go."

"Do not worry we shall win this fight," Prometheus said with a warm smile. "But we shouldn't have unnecessary bloodshed if necessary. Come on we shall meet these poor children."

She nodded gripping the white flag in her hand. Prometheus was actually kinder than most people in the camp and occasionally made small talk with her. The two walked through camp until they reached a clearing.

She saw a camper in an orange shirt spot them. She waved the white flag and the camper quickly ran off. Her heart pounded in her chest as she gripped the flagpole. In the distance she saw another white flag and a group of campers approached.

Percy Jackson the son of Poseidon led the group. She couldn't help but compare him to when he first arrived at camp. Long gone was the scared boy, the man facing her was a warrior. Percy's gaze was firm and hard as he looked at her and Prometheus. Every movement, every step was just like that of the heroes of old.

By the son of Poseidon's side was her brother Malcolm, she was glad he was still alive but she avoided his steely gaze. In addition to him, there was a girl with dark hair, she must have been a child of Hecate since she had the same eyes as Alabaster and the same mysterious air about her.

She swallowed the lump in her throat and took a deep breath meeting the son of Poseidon's gaze. "We have a proposal from Lord Kronos for you."

Prometheus stepped forward with the jar. "There is no need for pointless, your position is surrounded and we will soon overwhelm you. Surrender now less you all suffer." He held out the jar, "This is Pandora's box, release it as a sign of your surrender."

Percy took the jar and gave it to the girl next to him who held it carefully. "Sorry but we won't be surrendering. We will defend Olympus to the last man if necessary." Malcolm and the girl next to Percy nodded in agreement, her brother glared at with his furious gaze reminded him of their mother.

Prometheus sighed. "A pit such a loss of life. Please reconsider it, in time I'm sure you'll make the right choice."

"Well thank you," Percy said before turning to her. "Annabeth I met your father he sends his regards."

She stared at Percy in shock not knowing what to say. She hadn't spoken to her father in ages and tried to keep him out of her thoughts. "H-He never cared about me. He wanted a perfect family and I was just a stain on that image," she said clenching the flag pole in her hand tightly as various memories poured into her head. After everything why would he even care?

Percy frowned. "Well he seemed distraught. Whatever your story with him I know he cares a lot about you."

"You know nothing about me," she spat glaring at the son of Poseidon.

Percy didn't react but her brother Malcolm laughed. "Well if I can say one thing about you it would be that you're a fucking hypocrite."

She recoiled at her brother's tone. Malcolm glared at her his eyes holding nothing but anger. If her mother could see her now Athena would have eyes just as cold. "You always complained your dad treated you badly. I get it not all of us have good homes but now that you joined Kronos and are trying to destroy the camp you called home and the world it makes me wonder do you say we abused you too?"

"I-I didn't say anything about the camp," she said trying to sound firm as she fought the tears in her eyes.

Malcolm glared at her. "Really? Hard to believe that since you worked so hard to destroy the camp and what our mother worked for. Do you tell them stories about how we abused you and how are mother is evil?"

She flinched at his words, she wanted to yell but the son of Poseidon stepped in between them. "You made your point," Percy said placing a hand on Malcolm's shoulder. The son of Poseidon turned to her. "We will go now. We won't ever surrender Olympus to Kronos."

Prometheus sighed. "Well I hope you will change your mind."

With that the parley ended. She and Prometheus headed back to camp, her brother's words lay heavy on her head. He has every right to be angry at me. But he doesn't understand anything about me, no one does.

"It's alright dear," Prometheus said calmly. "I know what it is like to fight with family. Hopefully your siblings will surrender, the less blood shed the better. Don't worry I'll report to Lord Kronos."

She nodded and mumbled her thanks as they entered the Titan camp. As soon as Prometheus left her she walked around the camp and found Alabaster. The son of Hecate through a flyer on the ground.

"What is it?" She asked.

"A trick by my siblings," Alabaster said glaring at the paper. "They are trying to deceive us to work for those Olympian thugs."

She picked up the wrinkled flyer, it the words don't fall for the enemy's tricks join the side of the gods. All who join will be pardoned and minor gods who join will be spared punishment.

"To think that my mother would still listen to those people," Alabaster said shaking his head. "Those thugs are extorting my mother and to think some of my siblings believe in Olympus." Alabaster looked up at her and his gaze softened. "Is something wrong?"

"Oh no its just that I went to deliver a message to the enemy. I had an altercation with a sibling," she said rubbing her eyes. "It was harder than I thought it would be."

To her surprise Alabaster put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry its not easy fighting against family. One of my sisters Lou Ellen is on that side, she is a talented girl but it's a pity that she is fighting for Olympus. If you need anything I'm for you ok?"

To her surprise the son of Hecate pulled her in for a hug. She tensed up against him but allowed herself to relax as tears fell down her face. "It's just I don't have much left."

Alabaster lifted her chin up. His gaze was surprisingly kind as he lowered his face and pressed his lips against hers. She didn't know how to respond, she liked it though. It was warm and kind and she responded with a kiss of her own. Was it love? She didn't know but when Alabaster pulled away she realized their hands were together.

"Don't worry you're not alone here. I'll protect you I promise," Alabaster said softly.

She nodded, her heart racing in her chest. Luke said the same thing but when Alabaster said it his words were different. She could feel the kindness in them.

Looking up into Alabaster's eyes she felt her fears melt away as she stared into his kind eyes. He leaned in closer and she slowly closed her eyes as he pressed his lips against hers.