Chapter ten, let's go!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters (except the OC's) Percy Jackson & The Olympians, Heroes of Olympus, or Trials of Apollo. All of that belongs to Rick Riordan.

10. A King That Fights His Own Battles

Ouranos ran at me like a giant bull, back arched and head crouched down. He had his spear in one hand, gripped towards the bottom half of the shaft. I knew he was going for a stab with that kind of position.

And it came. His chaotic boost had evened the gap so much that now, we were moving at normal, human speed in each other's eyes. Nothing was enhanced or blurry. At least, for me. I wasn't sure about what he was seeing.

Ouranos slid his front foot out and lunged, using that spear as a perfect extension of his arm, delivering a powerful, precise stab. So straight and quick that if I'd waited another nanosecond, I wouldn't have gotten rammed exactly, but I definitely would've been grazed.

Thankfully though, I bent my torso enough to avoid it. Sidestepping a bit to gain a positional advantage and try for an attack of my own.

I slung my arm up with the sword, using it as an extension of my arm, just like he did. It helped me more, if anything. The height and range difference between us was laughable. Ouranos was more than twice my size, with a much longer weapon. I had to work twice as hard on my defense, and gripping the sword low on the hilt helped me try to reach his neck and face.

But he saw it coming. Yanking the spear, he latched onto the higher part of the shaft with his other hand and pushed against my strike, stopping it.

From there, we entered a rapid exchange that took every ounce of my concentration. No room for error or laziness. Putting aside my hatred for the guy, I can admit that he's the most skilled person, creature, whatever you want to call it, I've ever seen. Years of experience and practice made him this good, and trust me, he is good. I thought my dad's movements were great, strong, and fluid. But Ouranos makes him look like a beginner.

I couldn't help but let the small part of my brain compare him to Tartarus. The god of the pit wasn't nearly as skilled as Ouranos, but his powers made up for that. They were more potent than Ouranos's abilities.

Besides, when I fought him, he was so much stronger and faster, that any skill I possessed wouldn't have made a difference. But with my current level, I could've handled him, in every category. Ouranos though, has enough skill to make it a problem.

We went on for a minute straight without landing a single blow or scratch. Ouranos had far more security than I did. If I landed a hit, he would be fine. But me, I'd be dead. I had to be far more careful.

Finally, we brushed weapons for the last time in the exchange. They clanged, then Ouranos went flying. I backed up a step and watched him do a backflip and land gracefully on the dirt, disappearing as soon as his sandals made contact.

All around me, six equal sized black circles of energy formed, sitting there like floating orbs. Upon completion of their molding, they shot at me, six perfect beams of energy.

I inhaled, not too worried about the simultaneous attack. I knew what this was, a diversion for Ouranos to come in from above to kill me. He knew I could take on these beams. They were a mere distraction.

I used both Heavenly Diamond weapons and spun around like a human whirlwind, dissipating the black beams as soon as I slapped them with the material.

Once the last one was out, I felt Ouranos's aura coming down on me. I dashed out of the way, watching as the spear's tip slammed into the ground, in its entirety.

Ouranos smirked and calmly pulled the spear from the ground. "Good, Matthias. Very good. You have as much potential as Malachi did when he was a boy."

"I'm not a boy. Not anymore."

He didn't respond. His body shed its black glow for just a second to accommodate a flash of white. I knew what that meant. He was about to teleport.

I anticipated the action, but didn't anticipate where he was going. Only my quick aura sensing gauged that he was coming behind me. I decided to play along with his game, and teleported behind him in turn, aiming to double stab him with both weapons.

But Ouranos snapped himself around and smacked my weapons with the spear, knocking me off the ground and into the air. He followed suit, pressing against me in flight, pushing me further into the atmosphere.

"I know what's going on with your little transformation, Matthias!" He shouted, "I can feel it in your soul! You have a time limit, don't you?!"

I tried to break myself away from the upward drill press he had me in, but it was no use. He had a hand clamped over my wrist, keeping me in place as we flew.

"So do you!" I spat.

"Yeah, but I can last longer than you!" He laughed, "I bet Zeus offered to make you a god when he trained you! Should've taken his offer!"

The angrier I got, the more the energy inside built up, condensing inside my chest. Using that new adrenaline, I yanked my hand away from his grip and kicked him in the chest, "Shut up!"

It sent him flying back. Both of us stopped our ascensions to an abrupt halt, floating above the clouds.

Neither of us moved for several seconds. He didn't make a move, like I expected. In my head, I was getting worried. Why isn't he making a move? Now that he knows about my limit, is he waiting for it to be over? Probably.

I wasn't sure exactly how much time I had left, but it couldn't be much. I'd lost track of the invisible clock's numbers, but I could feel them dwindling.

Ouranos looked down at the high view of the Earth, sighing. "It used to be so different. It wasn't littered with pests back then. Everything was so much...freer. The world was still new, and it would've changed, of course. But me...I would've found a way to keep it pure and perfect. Not let this mess happen."

The words made me pause for a second. Judging by Ouranos's tone, he seemed to be genuinely caught in the moment, and almost talking to himself.

But Ouranos never does anything without an ulterior motive. He was stalling for time.

"I know what you're doing. You're stalling."

"I'm just taking a moment to breathe it in." He did, sucking in a deep breath. "As I get closer to my goal...my thoughts get calmer. For so long, it was the opposite, because I was, and still am, the only one that understands."

"Understands what?"

"What it takes to make this world perfect. When you can break it down to simple terms, you start to gain a grasp of just how much of a mess this place has become. It's like a condemned house infested with bugs. Someone has to be the exterminator, or else it'll devolve further."

Hearing him talk as if he sits on some freaking high horse pissed me off. Acting so high and mighty, as if mortals were any worse than him. It wasn't true. He was the monster in this equation, and either he was so delusional to the point that he didn't recognize it, or he knew it, and everything he said was a lie.

To be honest, it could be both.

I acted out in rage at his words, teleporting quickly and appearing above him, "And you think you're the person to fix it?! You actually believe that shit?!"

I slammed both weapons down against his spear, the force of the shockwave blowing back every single cloud in the vicinity. "I am! Because I am the only one willing! The only one that understands!"

"You're full of shit! You're worse than any mortal!" Another swing and block, "The world's not perfect, but if you were in charge, it would be worse! Everyone knows it but you!"

A big swing that knocked me back. We both shot lightning at each other, they clashed and broke each other. Roaring thunder followed. "You know what, maybe you're right. Maybe the world is too far gone. Maybe this entire time, I've been thinking of this the wrong way." He scoffed, "I mean, why try to fix the condemned house when you can just tear it down and build a new one?!"

I didn't like where he was going with that. With a thrust of his legs, he shot upward, leaving a jet trail behind him. Reaching his destination, about five hundred feet above me, he condensed a huge amount of chaotic energy at the end of his spear, creating a miniature, dark sun. Building and building with aura.

His voice echoed down to me, "You can help me destroy this heap of dirt!"

My body strained up as the ball of chaos only got bigger and more of a threat. Now we weren't just talking about destroying the planet, but the universe, with ease.

Ouranos cackled, "HERE, TAKE IT!"

He released it. As the giant dark sun got closer, it got bigger, and bigger, and even bigger, to the point where it covered the entire foreseeable sky, not offering a bit of space. I knew that if that thing even got close to the Earth, everyone was dead.

I quickly sheathed both Heavenly Diamond weapons and placed both hands out in front of me, clasping my palms together. "Please let this work..."

Breathing in carefully, I calmed my racing heart and collected all the energy I could. From the Earth, from the surrounding planets, from the universe itself. All of it began forming into a giant red ball of aura, similar size and shape to Ouranos's attack, but not quite strong enough.

"Talk to me, dad..." I whispered, somehow hoping that he was watching in Elysium, and offering his support. I needed it.

The aura kept gathering and gathering, until it reached a point where I felt comfortable in releasing it. The lightning from Godspeed shot out from my body and added itself to the mix of the cannon, just for the cherry on top.

I roared as loud as I could, like a lion, and pushed forward. The giant pillar of red overtook the other half of the sky, and almost instantly collided with Ouranos's dark sun. It was a miracle the aftershock didn't erode the universe right away. It didn't, thankfully, but the force behind that dark sun was no joke, I was fighting tooth and nail to keep my spot, because even one inch is a loss. That's one inch closer to the Earth getting destroyed.

"Aghh!" I strained, "C-COME ON!"

If Ouranos taunted me or said anything, I couldn't hear it. I couldn't see him either. I couldn't see anything through the barrage of colors and the pressure against my entire body. It was like fighting against the full weight of gravity itself, all piled on top of you.

As I struggled, Godspeed seemed to act on its own, helping me out in its own way. The bright blue circle in my chest spread out, making my entire body glow a radiant color. Lightning branched out and fed into the Cannon, making it stronger, strong enough to overcome the dark sun.

"Just...a...little...more!"

Blue and red colors mixed together. It drilled right in the middle of the dark sun and infected it like a poison, dissipating it completely, leaving nothing but black strands, like dark cloud wisps.

The Red Beam Cannon went with it, leaving the skies free. While Ouranos was caught off guard, and I still had the boosted power from Godspeed, I chucked the labrys as hard as I could, not even worrying if my aim was true. Even if it wasn't, it would be enough of a diversion to go in and land a clean hit.

But it was true. Faster than light, the Labrys hit Ouranos right in the shoulder, lodging itself several inches deep. I heard a howl of pain as I flew up, and with both hands, shoved the sword into his gut.

A shockwave ring burst around us after the hit. The sword's edge came out of his back, and he coughed up a huge clump of ichor, doubling over.

"Gah!" Was the sound he made. I looked down at him, never moving the sword.

Inwardly, I felt the best sense of relief possible. Because I knew I had gotten him. Two clean shots with two Heavenly Diamond weapons? Not even his resistance to chaos could hold up to that. And his aura level confirmed it. It was dropping drastically, down to levels that the others could handle, to a level where Godspeed wasn't required.

Everything was silent. The ambience of space replaced the loud whirring of our energy clash. I pulled up on the sword, not hard, but enough to make the pain worse for him, and maybe cut into some more internal organs.

"Agh!" Ouranos shouted, wincing. I leaned closer and growled in his ear.

"That's for everything. For my father, for Levi, for Chiron, for Malachi, Sera, and all my friends. All the innocent people you killed and manipulated. You'll burn in hell forever."

He couldn't say anything, he could only gag and cough. I started to say something else and dig the sword deeper, but something came over me.

All the power of Godspeed faded instantly, and the lightning dimmed, flickering like a weak light. This horrible sickness permeated throughout my insides, making me want to throw up.

Things began piling on top of the other to make myself weaker. My vision was going in and out of darkness, my limbs numb, and my stomach was against my skin, like I was falling.

But...it only took a few seconds to realize that I was falling. Fast. And Ouranos was falling above me, not far behind.

I couldn't fly, I couldn't activate my aura, I couldn't control any of my powers. It was as if I had no control whatsoever, no feeling over my nerves. At first, I was confused and disoriented, but I realized with enough time that Godspeed was taking its bad effect. I was on the downfall of the high roller coaster.

I heard Zeus's voice in my head. "I gained incredible power by fusing with the bolt, but at great cost. It nearly killed me. And would have, if not for Apollo and Asclepius."

"I had help from the best two healers in the universe. And still, I remained on death's door. Imagine what such an effect would do to you."

I was about to find out. I was...about to die. Judging by how drastically my aura was dropping, and how quickly my body was failing, it would happen in the next few minutes.

With my back against the cool wind, I approached my makeshift deathbed, the sun's burning light getting dimmer as my eyes closed, for maybe the last time.

My life didn't quite flash before my eyes. Guess it's a myth.

I woke up with my eyes still closed, my body still feeling like it was numb and completely useless. I lay on something solid and uneven, but I could only guess. I could feel something shaking my shoulders, though.

And my ears began to pick up on the source of it, a voice fading in and out, the words unrecognizable. I could only discern it as female. For half a second as it got clearer, I could've sworn it was my mom.

"Matt?" It said, "Matt!"

I blinked. Dark hair started to form and take color, along with pale skin and a single blue eye. Harper. She hadn't stopped shaking me.

"Matt! Matt, you have to wake up! Please wake up!"

I smiled at her sadly, "Harper?"

Other faces peered over me, all of them had surprised looks on their faces.

"Holy shit, he's alive!" I think that was Talon.

"He won't be for long. His aura's dropping like crazy!" Malachi.

"We have to do something!" Annabeth.

"W-What can we do? Viribus isn't working!" Sera.

"Keep trying!" Percy.

"It's not going to work." Amaterasu. "I've already tried to heal him."

Harper turned and shouted at her, "Well I'm not giving up!"

I wanted to lift my hand and cup her cheek, just to feel her skin, because I might not get the chance again. But it wouldn't work. I couldn't move.

So I resorted to croaking. "I'm...sorry...Harper. Guys...I'm sorry."

Harper scooted closer to me and held my head up on her lap, like cradling a baby. "What are you talking about, Matt? Why's your aura dropping so fast? What the hell did that bolt do to you?!"

My eyebrows furrowed, "Wh-Where is it?"

"It went back in your watch." Harper said, "Don't worry about that, just tell me what's going on."

"I had to use it, or we wouldn't have been able to beat him," I whispered, "I...fused with the bolt at the cost of my own life."

As soon as she heard it, tears fell down her face. She didn't gasp, or make a noise, she just sat there, staring.

"I knew it." Amaterasu said, nodding with her lips tight. "I knew that Zeus taught you something like that. A fatal technique. High risk, high reward."

Sera looked at everyone nervously, "B-But surely there's something we can do. M-Matt's not actually going to die, is he?"

"Not if we can fucking help it." Talon grumbled, "We'll figure something out."

"Viribus is not working." Malachi noted, "What else can we do?"

Harper wasn't hearing them. She was lost in a trance, "No. No way. Matt's not gonna die."

"His aura's almost faded, Harper." Percy said nervously, "I...I don't think there's much more we can do."

"Are you serious?!" Harper snapped, "S-So we just...give up?! We just let him die?! Hell no! W-What about Apollo? He's the god of healing, can't he heal him?"

Nobody said anything. They just looked at each other, exchanging sad glances.

"Answer me!" Harper roared, "What about the Achilles Curse? The river Styx! Can't it bring him back and make him invulnerable?!"

Malachi shrugged, "We can try. I'll take him there if I have to."

"Are you sure, man?" Percy asked, "You know its effect. It would probably just kill him faster." He sighed, "Besides...could you even make it in time?"

"What is with you?!" Harper said, about to stand up and square up to Percy.

"I'm just trying to stay realistic! I don't want Matt to suffer!"

"Then I'll teleport!" Malachi argued. "After all he's done for me, I will not let Matt die! Not here!"

"That's right!" Harper said, tugging on my arm, "I'll go with you!"

"N-No..." I murmured, "Harper, stop!"

She did, and stared at me like I had three heads. "Matt, don't be ridiculous. We're gonna help you."

"You can't. It's already done. I...made the decision that I've been worried about all this time. It shifted from letting Talon die...to sacrificing myself."

"But-" She started, and didn't get to finish the sentence. A pile of rubble shifted behind them, and all heads turned. I had just enough energy to crane my head and see what was going on.

My heart dropped when Ouranos rose from the dirt, the Heavenly Diamond weapons on him. The Labrys in his shoulder, and the sword through his gut. He was shaky, but still able to move around, and still alive. My attack hadn't quite done the trick.

"Shit..." Talon muttered.

"It's okay." Malachi said, "Harper, you take care of Matt. We'll finish my father off."

The others lined up beside him, and engaged with Ouranos. I could barely see at this distance, and with my vision fading in and out of consciousness, it just looked like a bunch of cats jumping on a big guy, while he tried to swat them away.

Harper stayed with me like Malachi said, and held my hand. "Matt, we need to go. I'm gonna carry you to the Underworld and try the river Styx."

"No...we can't," My voice was so small I wasn't sure she could hear it. "It's no use. It's...already done."

"Nothing's done." She argued, "You're coming with me, whether you like it or not."

She tried picking me up, but I was dead weight. I tightened my hold on her hand with a weak squeeze, stopping her. "Hey...look at me."

She did, her blue eye shimmering.

I fought back the emotions. It was really hard, because I knew this might be the last time I say anything to her. I wanted to make it special.

"Look, I don't...have much longer, Harper. I need to say some things."

She was crying again, barely able to speak. "Please, don't. I...I can't. I don't want to say goodbye."

"I know. I'm so sorry." I didn't know how to even express in words how tragic this was. It wasn't fair in the slightest for things to end this way between us. It was straight out of a Greek myth.

I felt a wave of nausea wash over me, and I knew my time was really wearing thin now. Sensing my own aura, it was barely traceable, a mere fraction. Maybe a minute tops.

I smiled, "I'm so glad I met you. You made me a better person in every way. I...I can't even express how much you impacted me."

She shook her head, "T-This can't be happening. Matt, I refuse to accept this. I'm not giving up on saving you."

"You don't have to."

I didn't recognize the foreign voice. For a second, I thought it was mine, and I was so out of it, I couldn't even tell that I'd spoken.

But when I felt the ground rumble, I knew it wasn't me. Someone else was here.

Harper wiped her eyes and straightened, "Lord Zeus?"

I pulled my head back as far as I could, and saw that it wasn't a joke or illusion. Zeus appeared before me, upside down, and he was looking at me.

"G-Grandfather?" I rasped, "What are you doing here?"

"I felt your aura drop. I knew right away that you had used Godspeed."

"But I thought Amaterasu knocked you out?" Harper said, confused.

"The sun goddess's trick worked, believe me. I was out for a while. But I broke out of my dream just in time to make it here."

"I'm sorry, Grandfather." I said, "I had no choice. I had to use it."

Zeus knelt down behind my head, "You don't have to apologize, Matt. I understand."

Harper reached over and grabbed Zeus by the arm with both hands, "Lord Zeus, he's going to die if we don't do something. Please...you're the king of Olympus, you have to know of something...some way to save him."

Before Zeus could open his mouth, Harper kept talking, "And don't tell me we have to just let him die because he 'made his choice' or some bullshit like that. You've been around for millennia! You have to know of some way to reverse the effect!"

"I do, young Harper." He soothed, "There is no need to be afraid. Everything will be okay."

I could hear Harper's gasp of relief. But Zeus wasn't so jolly.

"Thank God." She sighed.

I could only keep my eyes on Zeus. His face was grim.

"Grandfather?"

"There is a way to reverse the effect. I was able to survive due to my durability as a god, coupled with the healing of the two very best. Matt, you aren't a god. So even if Apollo and Asclepius were here, it wouldn't work."

"So what's the way to save Matt?" Harper asked.

"His life force is being depleted by the moment. Soon, it will be gone forever. The only way to keep his body alive...is to replace his dying life force with another."

I didn't understand at first, but when I did, my eyes went wide. Harper didn't fully get what he was implying. She understood what he was saying, but not what he was hinting at.

She nodded with determination, "Okay, I'll do it. Use my life force. If there's some sort of ritual, do it. I'll give my life for Matt's."

Zeus smiled, "I admire your bravery and selflessness, Harper. But no, I cannot allow that."

"Huh? Well...how are we gonna save him?"

"He's...going to give his life force." I whispered. "Grandfather is."

Harper realized what was going on, and stumbled over her words. I could tell by her emotions that she wanted to save me at any costs, but she also didn't want Zeus to die.

"But...no, surely-"

"This is the only way." He interrupted, "Now, help me pick him up."

Reluctantly, Harper helped him, grabbing one arm while he grabbed the other. All the while, I could hear the sounds of my friends fighting Ouranos in the background, probably not having a clue as to what we were doing.

I stood upright, with both of them supporting nearly all of my weight, facing Zeus.

"Grandfather, you can't do this," I protested, "You're not actually thinking about giving up your life force for...for me?" I said it like it was a question. "You're the king of the gods. You can't just die."

His smile crinkled his cheeks, and his eyes told me that he'd already made up his mind. But that didn't deter me from arguing against it. Because...it was ridiculous. A world without Zeus? Is it even possible for the king to just die and Earth to remain intact? If he's gone, then what's stopping every other evil god from running rampant?

"Matt, listen. It took me a very, very long time to become the king I needed to. To understand the value of mortal life, of all life. How precious it is, and how there is no weakness whatsoever in caring for others." He poked my chest, "You've always had these understandings. You've always held the correct values, while I...well, I was a very different person. I represented the opposite."

"Yeah...but you're a better king now. Which is exactly why you shouldn't do this!"

He shook his head gently, "No, it's the opposite. Because I'm better, I'm finally making the right decision. Matt, it's time for someone else to carry on my legacy. Not only that, but forge their own path and make the world a better, safer place."

It was starting to hit me what he meant, and why he kept staring at me, while I remained silent.

"You want me to carry on your legacy?" I couldn't believe it. "Me? But...no! I can't! You have all this experience and battle intelligence, while I-I'm just a kid! A-And I'd have to be a god, which-"

"Matt, calm down." Zeus said, "I'm not saying you have to take my spot on Olympus, or become a god, or any of that. I just want you to keep being you. Keep seeing the best in people, keep protecting those you care about, and expand your horizon. Teach new demigods how to defend themselves. How to be heroes."

I had no response. Because I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I couldn't believe that Zeus had this much faith in me, to welcome a new generation, and not even pressure me into becoming a god. It was like...my father was talking to me.

"It's taken me thousands of years to realize the obvious." He said, "That having power is like a drug. It boosts your ego, and makes you want to seek it even more, just for the sake of being strong. That's...how I've thought for my entire life. But you, and your father changed my mind. Made me see the right way. That having power is not only a gift, but a responsibility. Meant for protecting those that don't have power, that aren't fortunate, that can't defend themselves. That's exactly who you are, Matt. All of your friends. You're all on the right path. I wouldn't choose you guys if you weren't worthy."

I still didn't say anything.

Zeus squeezed my arm, "Do you want to continue living in this world?"

I knew what he meant. It wasn't like, the world in general. He meant the demigod world, this life us select few live. I'd made my decision on that long ago.

"Of course I do. It's what I'm meant for. But that doesn't mean I want you dead, Grandfather! Without Dad, I need someone to..." I trailed off, not sure of how to put it. Mentor me, guide me, give me advice, all of those worked. "...I need you."

"No you don't. You're wiser, and smarter than you think. It's okay to not know everything. And if you ever need help, or advice, you have your friends. You can all support each other. Like Knights of the Round table."

"He's right." Harper said, "We've always got your back."

"I..."

"Matt." Zeus said firmly, "I believe in you."

He said it with such sincerity, I almost believed that everything would be okay. But I couldn't help the uncertainty in my gut, telling me that I wasn't good enough, that somehow I'd mess it all up.

But...the fact that Zeus believed in me, in us, the king of the gods himself, had to mean something. For a second, I let go of all my anxiety and tried to envision a future...ten years down the road, fifteen years, even. I saw myself in the same spot as always. Camp. With my friends, and with young demigods.

A thought crossed my mind. What if I could be to those kids, what my dad and Zeus were for me. A compass. I remembered how I felt when I learned my true identity. How lost I felt. How my entire world had been shifted and flipped upside down. There were dozens of kids like that right now, feeling the exact same thing. They need someone to help them, to tell them that it's not a curse. That no matter how much they believe themselves to be mistakes, it's not true.

"I know." I said, "It's my destiny, right?"

"Destiny is what we decide, is it not? The Fates don't pre-determine everything. It can be changed. What matters is, do you want it to be your destiny? Because if you don't, it's not."

"I do want it." I answered, almost immediately. "It's all I want. But I also don't want you to die. Not for me. It was my dad, then Old Matt, then Kyros, and now you. I don't deserve it."

"All of it was done because they believed in the future. They knew, each of them, what they signed up for. Just like I do. Out of all the deaths I've envisioned, or had nightmares of for myself, this is the best way I can possibly imagine going out. To give my life for something so precious, so valuable...I'm perfectly content with it."

Before I could say anything else, or protest weakly, he motioned to Harper with his chin, "You might want to stand back."

"O-Okay." She backed up.

"Take care of him, young Harper. He'll need you by his side."

She nodded, "I will. Thank you, Lord Zeus...for everything."

He smiled. Next thing I knew, all the noise of Ouranos fighting my friends, the feeling of the wind, and the heat of the sun faded to nothing. We were both enveloped with a blue pillar of energy shooting from the ground, covering us, and probably concealing us from the outside world.

I looked at it in shock. I might've mistaken it for a sneak attack from Ouranos, sent underground to surprise me. But upon closer inspection, and sensing its aura, I recognized that it was Zeus's energy, his lifeforce, being displayed in full. It reminded me of when I temporarily floated in the Bolt's aura, looking at it's bright core. Zeus's felt similar.

It peppered out into little particles, floating all throughout the city. It didn't take long for their purpose to reveal itself. They shot into the ground and created new buildings, replacing the ones that had been destroyed by Ouranos. It was like little seeds had been planted, and in moments, New York City was back to normal. Every apartment, restaurant, and even the Empire State Building had been restored with Zeus's energy.

Then it swirled, and collected itself into a funnel, throwing all of its weight towards me. I felt no intense impact, but my condition was getting better. My vision was clearing up, the feeling of nausea started to go away, and I could stand on my own again.

"Grandfather!" I cried, "Please, don't!"

"It's okay, Matt!" He said, raising his voice so I could hear it over the funneling energy. "Don't be sad for me! This is the best moment of my life! I finally feel like the man I should've always been!"

My eyes were burning, but not from the force of Zeus's life force. "I-If this is it-"

"It's never it!" He corrected, and pointed to my heart. "I'll be right here, with your dad!" He had the audacity to laugh in the face of death, "Cliche, I know! But it's only cliche because it's true!"

Time was running out. No matter what I said, or how much I didn't want this to happen, it would. Zeus had made his choice, just like I did when I thought I was sacrificing myself in using Godspeed.

"I love you!" I declared, "I want you to know that!"

He grinned, "I do." His face got wide, as if he forgot something. "Speaking of, I didn't get to speak with Hera before I left. Could you tell her that for me?"

"Tell her what?"

"That I love her! And that...I'm sorry."

Those two words held a lot of weight. And for some reason, call it 'in the moment' enlightenment, I knew exactly what he meant. I understood.

I held out my hand, bending my elbow so it was chin level. He grabbed it, and we gripped our hands tight, like a handshake between two soldiers.

"Sure thing!"

He pulled me in so our foreheads could touch. "I'm proud of you!"

Just as I began to open my mouth, the last of his energy entered me, and Zeus's body, like Kyros's, lost its solidity, becoming transparent. He appeared as a cracking blue statue of himself, a smile plastered on his face. I got one last look at him, and he was gone, the cracks overtaking his body and the blue energy particles turning to dust.

The king of the gods was gone.

My grandfather was dead.

(000)

Pretty fitting way for a King to go, if you ask me.

Thanks for reading! Feel free to let me know what you thought!

Until Next Time.