Chapter 49 – Scorpio

As far as plans went, Percy trusted Annabeth to come through for him.

Disembarking from the Argo II right above the Acropolis could cause problems, since Percy doubted that the Giants would wait for them to leave the trireme and find their footing before attacking. Leo set down the Argo II in the open stretch between Hadrian's Arch and Zeus' Temple. Percy stared at the remnants of the old temple, only a few pillars remaining though they were large. There was a rustling from above him, and Percy craned his head back to see Aquila had settled down on the mast and was watching Percy with beady and hungry eyes.

Percy narrowed his eyes at the eagle, and he could have sworn that Aquila narrowed his straight back. "That eagle's freaking me out," he said.

Jason nodded slightly. "Me too." He sighed, turning his eyes away from Aquila and back towards his armour he was slipping on. Percy shifted in his own, not really used to the metal encasing his shoulders any longer. Percy wasn't even sure if it would stop a blow from a Giant – there was a high chance that any impact would smash his bones with or without the armour.

Percy took a deep breath, fingering Riptide in his pocket. "You ready for this?" He asked quietly, nerves running high. There would be a moment when Percy would settle and everything would calm down, but until then he was tense.

"No," Jason admitted. "You?"

Percy shook his head. "No." He snorted softly. "The fate of the world once again."

"It sucks," Jason agreed.

"Oh, definitely," Percy mused. "But I couldn't care less about the world." He offered Jason a small smile. "No, I'm doing this for my friends."

"We all ready to go?" Frank asked, bow slung over his shoulder. He gave Percy a wary look, no doubt remembering that Percy had caused someone to choke on their own blood only a short while before. "You look better."

"Thanks," Percy muttered. He grimaced slightly. "It's been… a rough few weeks," Percy added.

Frank nodded slightly. "Yeah, definitely. I'll be glad when I get back to New Rome."

Percy nodded slightly, though his thoughts were more on his mother. "Home would be nice," he agreed. Perhaps it was recent events, but Percy found his mind on Alabaster Torrington. From what the son of Hecate had claimed he had no home anymore. What were him and the rest of Kronos' displaced army doing while Percy was trying to save the world with his friends?

The son of Poseidon didn't know, and he found that worried him.

"Where are the girls?" Percy asked Leo once he'd materialized at their side.

Leo grimaced. "Piper saw something in that knife… creepy stuff."

"What was creepy?" Percy asked. "The knife?"

"Is she alright?" Jason asked, shifting slightly and looking more than prepared to rush back onto the Argo II. Percy rolled his eyes.

"They'll be fine," Percy said. "The knife won't suddenly attack them. Aquila, on the other hand…" The eagle paused in his self-care, a few twisted or broken feathers in his beak which he'd plucked from the underside of a wing. He chittered at Percy, unsurprisingly clearly recognising his own name and that he was the topic of discussion. Percy imitated the sound back at the bloody bird and Aquila recoiled sharply, flaring his giant wings out as he screeched in response and dropped his feathers. The eagle looked even more irritated, going from his reaction. His sharp, celestial bronze talons gauged marks into the ancient marble pillar he was settled on.

Percy spared a moment of sympathy for the archaeologist to discover the blatant damage to the ancient Greek remnant.

"He wants to eat you," Jason stated. "Specifically your intestines."

"I like my intestines."

"I think he will too," Frank said in amusement.

"We could always give him Leo," Percy added, his lips twisting slightly.

Leo blanched, taking a sharp step back as Aquila's eyes fixated unerringly onto him. "I don't like the way he looks at us," Leo said.

Percy shrugged. "Well unless Frank wants to try to hit him with an arrow again, we're stuck with him. Lightning clearly does nothing against a bird used to Zeus throwing tantrums. Maybe we'll get lucky and he'll decide Giant intestines are tastier than mortal."

Percy turned his head slightly and nodded a greeting to the girls when they joined them. "Hey. What's wrong?" He added when he saw their grim faces.

"You were right," Piper said. "The Titans are in Manhattan."

Percy nodded slightly. "I figured they would be. He likes being a pain."

"You don't look worried," Annabeth noted. "Just imagine what they could be doing there."

"And we're here," Percy retorted. "There's nothing we can do about them. But we can do stuff about the Giants."

"Percy's right," Jason said firmly. "We have to focus on the Giants for now. Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter are close to Manhattan anyway. They can handle it."

Percy doubted it, but didn't say so and instead nodded his head in the direction of the Acropolis on the hilltop above them. "So… who's up for a fight?"

Percy would prefer to fight the Titans again.

It wasn't that he thought it would be easier, far from it. But at least the Titans were beatable by mortals, and they didn't need the gods to help them. If Zeus decided he couldn't be asked to help, then they would all be screwed.

Though the first task was apparently getting to the Acropolis, which clearly wasn't undefended. The hillside was crawling with monsters, though most of them the seven made quick work of.

Everything had been going well until they saw the giant Scorpion resting in the middle of the trail. There was a distinct lack of tourists, with a CLOSED sign at the entrance the clear cause though it hadn't stopped a few unfortunate mortals from still venturing into the ruins.

"Big scorpion," Leo said.

"Yeah. I can see it, thanks," Percy said. His eyes narrowed. Of course, Percy remembered the large scorpions that Daedalus had brought into Camp Half-Blood a few years ago. Though he hadn't seen them since, and couldn't recall exactly how they could kill them. Though Percy doubted much would work on this one – compared to those he'd met before, this was a giant.

"Scorpio," Annabeth guessed. "Which proves that the Titans haven't entirely abandoned the Giants after all."

Percy just shook his head. "Unbelievable," he muttered. "Alright, who killed this one?"

"No one," Annabeth replied.

Piper nodded slightly. "Zeus placed him into the sky after he killed Orion."

"Why do we always get the difficult monsters?" Leo demanded. "Why can't we have to face… demon rabbits or something?"

Percy's lips twitched slightly. "Unless we have a satyr with us. Then that won't go well." Coach Hedge had been left on the trireme to guard the ship, though Percy didn't know what he could do if it was attacked.

"Satyr?" Leo echoed, looking baffled. He wasn't the only one; each of the other demigods was also staring at Percy as if he'd grown a second head.

"Inside joke," Percy dismissed, thinking of Grover. "Alright. Giant scorpion, never been killed before. Any great ideas?"

Scorpio seemed content to rest in the middle of the trail, thick carapace scraping along the ground and large armoured plates on both it's back and it's belly – at least from what Percy could see ducked behind a random marble block. Astoundingly, the entire countryside was strewn with ancient Greek marble and pillars, toppled over and weeds growing around them. He assumed that since there were so many ruins around Greece, the odd pillar wasn't of great interest to most. Scorpio's large tail rested on the ground, curling around behind him with the venomous point still and doubled back towards his head. Resting on the ground in front of him, two giant pincers twitched slightly as he slept. Percy eyed the pincers, though it was clear that the stinger on the tail was both larger and thicker – clearly, the scorpion packed quite a lethal dose of venom.

The scorpion was slightly longer than a double-decker bus.

"Getting behind it may be difficult with that tail," Percy murmured.

Annabeth nodded slightly. "Let's try to not get stung. His venom can kill a Giant – Orion."

Anything that could kill a Giant through venom could definitely kill a demigod. Percy wasn't killing to test it. He took a deep breath, uncapping Riptide. "Alright. Well – he's sleeping now. Maybe we can just… sneak up on him and stab him?"

Annabeth looked understandably dubious of his plan, but Percy decided to ignore her doubts.

"Percy – no!" Jason hissed.

Percy ignored him too, creeping low around the marble slab they'd been sheltering behind. He approached the resting scorpion, Riptide at the ready. Behind him he heard the others start to follow, but waved haphazardly in their direction – Percy didn't want them to risk themselves too. Scorpio seemed dead to the world, aside from the occasional twitch of his stinger or pincers. Percy carefully stepped over a body, one which looked suspiciously like a mortal tourist, and swallowed thickly. It had clearly been half-eaten by the lethal scorpion.

The carapace looked horribly thick as Percy moved closer, so much so that he began to doubt that Riptide would cut through it. Percy took a deep breath, inching in from the side opposite to that large venomous tail. His legs were tucked in somewhat to his body, so Percy edged his way between two of them and scanned the scorpion's carapace for any split that he could wedge Riptide into. There was a small chink between the plates of the underbelly and overlocking armoured back, so Percy thrust Riptide into the gap and hoped the edge of Riptide was sufficient at causing enough damage.

Percy let out a sharp yelp as Scorpio jerked, twitching violently and letting out a loud hissing shriek. Riptide was wrenched from his hands as the giant scorpion twisted away and Percy's feet were swept out from underneath him by a flailing leg.

The demigod rolled instinctively, just in time for a leg to pierce the ground beside him.

"Percy!"

Percy swore, vaguely aware of the other demigods rushing to help him as he tried to avoid the shrieking scorpion's legs. Riptide still hadn't returned to him. The only thing he could see was the underside of the thrashing scorpion as it's legs hammered down around him – clearly Scorpio was trying to murder him. Percy scrabbled across the ground, clawing at the earth only to find that he was beginning to sink. Scorpio paused above him, and then promptly dropped to the ground.

Percy howled feeling his ankle torque harshly under the added weight. Twisted awkwardly underneath him, the pain nearly made him blackout.

Thunder boomed overhead, and Scorpio shrieked as a lightning bolt struck his tail.

The demigod spat out a mouthful of dust, gaping up at the night sky overhead. "Ouch," he rasped, putting his arms underneath him and preparing to stand.

"Don't!" Piper materialised at his elbow, kneeling in the golden dust along with Annabeth. "Don't move."

Percy moved, though pain shot up his leg from his ankle and he winced.

"Idiot," Piper muttered.

"Is he ok?" Hazel demanded. The others were all hanging back and giving Piper and Annabeth space. Percy frowned at them.

"I'm fine," Percy said. All the golden dust around his ankle was shimmering and glowing in the darkness and his eyes furrowed slightly. "I –" Percy's frown deepened. He moved his ankle once again, and was startled to find that much of the pain had already gone.

"I don't understand," Annabeth said, looking completely baffled as she watched Percy clamber to his feet, testing out his ankle and realising that it had somehow healed.

"Me neither," Percy mumbled. He turned his head towards the dust, noting that the glow had faded greatly… and then the demigod realised that it wasn't the dust that had been glowing at all. Percy's gaze snapped up, scanning the dark countryside around them. His eyes jumped from fallen columns to crushed marble blocks, his senses screaming at him that something wasn't right. Percy spun on the spot, his neck crawling – they were being watched. The solid weight of Riptide reappeared in his pocket.

And Percy figured he knew exactly whom it was.

It was unnerving, knowing they were in the middle of ancient Greek ruins with Giants planning to resurrect Gaea overhead. And Percy was being stalked by an idiot. Finally, Percy's eyes found the two golden specks watching him intently from the surrounding darkness. His breath caught.

"Hey, could you guys wait here for a second?" Percy asked. "I've got something I have to check out."

Was it stupid to head straight towards the golden eyes that winked out of existence? Yes. Very. But Percy didn't care.

Percy rounded the discarded marble block and stared. He reached into his pocket, closing his fingers around Riptide. "Piper said you were in Manhattan," Percy said flatly.

The black jaguar blinked at him, sitting on his haunches. It was unnerving how easily Kronos blended in with the shadows. "I was. Up until a few minutes ago." His voice was whispered on the wind, a breathy sound that made Percy's head spin.

"Why?"

"Why not?" Kronos shifted slightly. "Your precious little gods are safe, as is their mountain – for now." The jaguar turned, bounding further away from Percy.

Against his better judgement, Percy glanced back at the other demigods before following after Kronos. "Why did you heal me? You could've left me with an injured ankle-"

"Fractured."

"What?"

"Your ankle was fractured," Kronos repeated impatiently. "Do at least try to keep up, Percy."

Percy's eyes narrowed at the jaguar's tail. "I think you just like annoying me. Don't you have anything better to do?"

The jaguar snarled, turning on Percy with bared teeth and sharpened claws. Percy yelped as he found himself pinned, one large paw on his left shoulder. "I have many-" Kronos paused, his movements stilling. Golden eyes, suddenly so filled with anger and unbridled rage, stared down at him.

Percy narrowed his eyes back up at him. "I'm not that stupid," he growled back at Kronos. "Fool me once – and all that shit." He pressed the point of Riptide a little firmer against the underside of Kronos' feline chin. The edge of the blade halfway along the metal brushed past Kronos' left front leg too. It was an awkward angle, but Percy made it work. "I'll bet a visit to Tartarus would be unfortunate for you right now."

Kronos bared his teeth. "I'll bet I can rip out your throat before you can."

"Maybe," Percy agreed. "But I'll give it a stab." His lips twitched slightly.

Kronos' tail flicked behind him.

For a brief moment, Percy worried that Kronos would try anyway. He certainly seemed angry enough to. And while going to Tartarus would certainly be a setback, Percy was also aware that the Doors of Death remained open. Realistically, there was little that he could truly threaten Kronos with.

"Why did you heal me?" Percy quietly asked again. His hand was sweaty on Riptide's hilt, but he made sure to keep the point pressed against Kronos' throat. He certainly didn't trust him. "After nearly killing me before, and keeping me captive and all of that."

"Remove your sword."

"I'm not that stupid," Percy snapped back. Kronos growled low in his throat, the sound a low rumble that Percy felt deep in his bones. His paw forced more weight down onto Percy's shoulder, and Percy hissed in pain. Percy watched a drop of immortal ichor roll down the edge of Riptide. "I don't want to hurt you," he snapped. "Get that paw off."

Kronos' eyes burned. His nose flared, the Titan for a moment looking prepared to crush Percy completely and to Tartarus with the consequences. He snapped his teeth inches from Percy's face, and Percy tightened his grip on Riptide as the drop became a trickle.

"Don't," Percy whispered. The Titan let out a furious and pained snarl in response before his paw shifted. Percy immediately lessened the pressure of Riptide, letting out a short breath. Kronos blinked down at him. "Fucking – I-" Percy sighed. "Gods, I should've never mated with you," he rasped.

"That would have been the wise decision," Kronos agreed. It was clear he was still aware of the presence of Riptide, resting just against his collarbone. "Porphyrion thought he could make a mockery of me," the Titan finally said. "I dislike fools such as him. If you were to die it would make the likelihood of Olympian victory over the Giants far less likely."

"And yet you just tried to rip out my throat."

"Less likely. But not impossible." The jaguar tilted his head. "Now. Remove your damned sword."

Percy shifted Riptide, and in an instant the feline shape above him had disappeared. He exhaled sharply, scrambling back to his feet. "You're gonna give me a heart attack before you can kill me, you know."

"You've proven to be far more resilient than I expected."

Percy's head whipped around so fast he nearly gave himself whiplash. Kronos now stood a dozen or so feet away, in his mortal form. Even as Percy watched, the thin cut along his throat sealed itself over. "That's not fair."

Kronos sighed, looking rather worn. "It was supposed to be a compliment."

"I meant the healing."

"That is immortality. Which you know already."

The brief silence was broken by the sound of wings flapping overhead and Aquila settled on a pillar. "I hate that bird."

Kronos chuckled. "Yes, he is quite a damned little bastard," the Titan agreed. "But useful. Very useful." The Titan tilted his head back, staring up at the lights from the Acropolis overhead. "I wish to see Porphyrion's head on a pike," he flatly said. "And you will do so for me."

"I'm not sure I'm capable of cutting a Giant's head off. As much as I would love to."

"I hear Rhea seems invested in helping you," Kronos said, his tone rather scathing. "Bitch," he muttered under his breath.

"She seems nicer than you."

Kronos laughed at him. "And yet you thought mating would be a good idea."

"Yeah. I made a mistake. You confuse me."

The Titan just seemed even more amused at that. "Good."

Percy shook his head slightly. "Alright. Well, I've got to get back to the others. You gonna help us at the peak?"

"Now why would I do that?" Kronos asked. His lips twitched slightly. "Try not to let Porphyrion kill you," the Titan said. "I want to do that first."

"I'll keep that in mind," Percy muttered.

"Percy!"

Percy glanced back towards where the others were. "Damn. I guess…" he trailed off, blinking into the darkness. Kronos was gone. "Un-fucking -believable. Immortals – can't just come and go like normal people."

It left Percy with a horrible feeling, the knowledge that no matter what they did to stop the Giants, it would all be useless in the event that the gods didn't help. The ground in the centre of the Acropolis, within the pillars, had been split open and Percy recognised the weed growing from the crack. Saturn's statue had its eyes closed and a serene expression on its face that Percy had never seen on the real immortal. With palms spread as if in sublimation, the cult statue stood over the makeshift vegetable patch.

"There," Percy murmured, making sure he had Leo's attention as he gestured towards the area and through the legs of several large Giants. "That's the Moly."

Leo nodded slightly, his expression grim. "Right in the middle," he muttered. "Great."

Percy didn't bother wishing him luck. Either the gods would help or they wouldn't – either Kronos would, or he wouldn't. Perhaps this was how Luke had felt after so long. Percy decided it wasn't worth thinking about when they were about to decide the fate of the world.

"There's no way they don't know we're coming after the Scorpio disaster," Percy said. "So surprising them is out of the question."

"But we can't face them head-on," Annabeth said. "They'll crush us then. In a straight fight… we lose."

Percy opened his mouth, and a piercing shriek split the air. Percy groaned as Aquila settled down on the top of the Parthenon, letting out a second piercing cry. Porphyrion, sitting on a large earthen throne at the far side of the Parthenon, raised his head. He scowled when he saw the great bird, but that expression shifted when his gaze dropped.

Pure white eyes locked with Percy's, and a cruel smile spread over the Giant's face. He clapped his hands together, the sound echoing like thunder over the city below. "My brethren!" The Giant King proclaimed. "Our guests have arrived!"

Yeah, so. My brother went clubbing and got covid. The only nice weather we have all year and I'm stuck inside isolating with the infected LOL.

Thatgremlinbitch: Yeah, Percy gonna throw everything he's got at Porphyrion XD. Ah, Hyperion and Krios won't do that lol.