Chapter 28: The Road to Olympus

Fatebound Arc I

The early morning sun filtered weakly through the trees, casting long, uneven shadows across the clearing. Thalia leaned against a tree, her sharp eyes scanning Nico as he stood at the edge of the clearing, half-turned away from them. He looked like he was already ready to disappear, as if he'd done his part by letting them sleep through the night.

"So, are you coming with us or not?" she asked, her voice firm but laced with an edge of weariness.

Nico didn't respond right away. His gaze dropped to the ground, and for a long moment, he stayed there, silent. The early light painted soft streaks across his face, but his expression remained unreadable.

Thalia didn't press him, crossing her arms and shifting her weight as the silence stretched.

Finally, Nico exhaled, a quiet sound that carried more weight than any words could. He gave a small, almost imperceptible nod, his hands slipping into the pockets of his jacket.

Thalia gave a curt nod in return, her expression unreadable. "Then let's go," she said simply. "Because we don't have time to waste."

Percy stepped forward, "Alright, then," he said as he glanced between Thalia and Nico. "Let's get moving before the monsters realize we're still breathing."

He started toward the edge of the clearing, his pace brisk but deliberate. Thalia followed, and after a moment of hesitation, Nico fell into step behind them. The sound of their boots crunching against the forest floor was the only noise as they pressed on, leaving the quiet shadows of the clearing behind and heading toward the chaos waiting for them in Manhattan.

The trio walked in subdued silence for several minutes Finally, Percy couldn't hold back the question that had been gnawing at him. "Thalia," he said quietly, "do you think we'll make it in time? Before Kronos…you know."

Thalia's expression softened, and she let out a careful breath. "We have to. After everything we've lost, it's all we can do—just keep going. Maybe more demigods survived than we think. Maybe they're out there, fighting, holding their ground." Her lips twitched into something resembling a smile. "Maybe we'll get to Olympus and find out the odds aren't as bad as they feel right now."

Percy's gaze lingered on her for a moment before he looked ahead, the faint outline of the city in the distance tugging at his thoughts. "But what about Typhon?" he asked quietly. "Artemis said he's getting really close. If he reaches Olympus…"

Thalia's expression hardened, and she shook her head. "That's not our fight," she said firmly. "The gods are handling Typhon—that's their job. Our job is to stop Kronos and keep Olympus standing long enough for them to win."

Percy frowned, his brow furrowing. "Keep Olympus standing from what? The monsters have to use the elevator to get up, right? They'd only be able to come up a few at a time. And what about the giants? They can't even fit in there. We would just wait for them at the top."

Thalia's eyes narrowed thoughtfully, and she slowed her pace just slightly. "I've been thinking about that," she admitted. "There's no way Kronos didn't account for that kind of problem. He's too careful, too calculating. If he's planning to take Olympus, then he probably has a way around the elevator."

Percy exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "I hope you're wrong," he muttered. "And let's hope we get there before it's too late."

The conversation faded into silence, the weight of Percy's words settling over them like the heavy morning air. Their footsteps were the only sound, crunching softly against the forest floor as they pressed forward.

The trees began to thin, sunlight spilling through the gaps in uneven patches. Though the forest was still quiet, it felt different—less enclosed, the vastness of the open world creeping closer.

Then they saw it.

Percy stopped dead in his tracks. The dirt path ahead was gouged and churned, massive sections of the ground ripped apart by claws, hooves, and enormous feet. Trees were uprooted or bent sideways, their bark shredded as if something monstrous had barreled through without a care.

Thalia froze beside him, her wide eyes fixed on the destruction. It wasn't just a trail—it was a highway. The tracks stretched far into the distance, a grotesque, unmistakable reminder of Kronos's army. Thousands of monsters must have passed through here, an unrelenting tide carving its way toward Manhattan.

Percy's voice came out barely above a whisper. "This… must be his army."

Thalia didn't reply right away. Her gaze swept over the destruction again. Then, with a quick motion, she gestured toward a cluster of thick bushes off to the side of the trail. "Get down. We don't know how close they might be."

The three of them crouched low, the undergrowth shielding them from view. For a moment, the only sound was their shallow breathing as they scanned the trail, half-expecting to see monsters still lingering nearby.

Thalia finally broke the silence. "What do you think? Are they close? I can't tell."

Nico's dark eyes flicked to the horizon, his expression unreadable. "Hard to say. They could be hours ahead of us, or they could've just passed through." He paused, then added, "But if you're worried about running into them, I can scout ahead."

Percy raised an eyebrow, glancing at him. "You? Alone?"

Nico's lips twitched into the faintest smirk. "I'm good at staying hidden," he said, his tone cryptic but certain.

Thalia's brow furrowed. "How far would you go?"

"Far enough to get an idea of how close they are," Nico said simply. "If they're nearby, you'll know soon enough."

Percy hesitated, exchanging a glance with Thalia. "I don't like splitting up," he admitted.

Thalia gave Nico a measured look. "But you're sure you can do this?"

Nico nodded. "This is what I'm good at. Trust me."

Thalia exhaled, glancing at Percy, who still looked uncertain. "Okay," she said reluctantly. "But don't push your luck. Come back as soon as you know something."

Without another word, Nico straightened and slipped away into the forest, moving so silently that Percy wasn't sure when he'd vanished completely.

Thalia watched the spot where Nico had disappeared. After a long moment, she spoke. "Where do you think he's been? All this time. Since he ran away from Camp?"

Percy gaze off in the distance as he considered the question. "Mostly the Underworld," he said finally. "It has to be, right? That's the only place that makes sense."

Thalia tilted her head. "I guess that tracks. But it doesn't explain… everything. He looks… different. Older. He's not the same kid who used to hide behind his Mythomagic cards."

Percy nodded slowly, the memory of Nico's younger self flickering in his mind. "Yeah. I was thinking about that, too. Maybe… maybe it's because of the Underworld. Seeing stuff down there—what it's really like. It changes you, right? Makes you grow up faster. Or at least it makes you feel like you have to."

Thalia's lips pressed into a thin line. "It's more than that, though. He's carrying something. Like, you can see it in his eyes—like he knows things we don't. Things we probably don't want to know."

Percy let out a breath, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah. I guess spending time in a place like the Underworld will do that to you. And if he's spent most his time down there… I can't even imagine."

Thalia gave a faint nod, her gaze drifting back toward the forest. "Whatever he's been through, it's made him stronger. But I just hope…" She trailed off.

Percy glanced at her. "Hope what?"

"That he's not carrying so much that he can't come back from it," she said quietly.

As their silence stretched, the forest was unnervingly still, the kind of quiet that made Thalia's skin crawl. She exchanged a tense glance with Percy. Then, the faint sound of slithering reached her ears—soft at first, like leaves brushing together, but growing louder with each passing second.

Thalia froze as her eyes darted toward the sound. Without a word, she reached out and gripped Percy's arm, pulling him down into the nearest cluster of bushes.

"Get down," she whispered sharply.

They crouched low, pressing themselves into the undergrowth as the sound grew louder, closer. Thalia held her breath as four dracaenae emerged from the shadows, their long, serpentine tails dragging over the forest floor. Their bronze armor gleamed dully in the scattered sunlight, and their twisted smiles revealed rows of sharp, gleaming teeth.

Thalia pressed herself deeper into the bushes, every muscle in her body coiled tight, her heart pounding in her chest as the dracaenae stopped just a few feet away. Their slitted eyes scanned the area. She glanced at Percy, who was equally still as they watched the monsters in silence.

"Another sweep," one of them hissed, her voice low and rasping. "I told you there's nothing left to find here."

"Shut up," another snapped, her tail curling tightly as she held her blade at the ready. "We follow orders. Kronos wants this area checked, so we check it."

The first dracaena let out a derisive snort, her tongue flicking the air. "As if there's anything left after what we did to that camp. We crushed them, burned their little cabins to ash. If anyone survived, they're probably hiding in the dirt like worms."

Thalia clenched her jaw, willing herself to stay calm as their words cut deep. Her shoulders were rigid, every instinct screaming to lash out, but she forced herself to remain still.

A third dracaena, her scales darker and her armor dented from battle, let out a soft cackle. "Doesn't matter. Our army is strong enough to deal with any stragglers. By now, they're already in the city."

"Did you hear about the survivors?" the fourth one said, her voice quieter but no less menacing. "Rumor is, a few of the brats regrouped on Olympus. Kronos wants them dealt with—dead or alive. I'd rather dead. Wish I could be up with the front line."

The group hissed their agreement, their voices blending into an unsettling melody that sent shivers down Thalia's spine.

The leader of the group raised her head suddenly, her tongue flicking out again. Her slitted eyes narrowed as she sniffed the air. "Wait," she said, her voice sharp and suspicious. "Do you smell that?"

The leader sniffed again, her gaze sweeping the bushes. "Demigods," she hissed. "Powerful demigods." Her ugly face snarled.

Thalia's her heart pounded as the rustling of scales grew louder. The dracaenae slithered closer to their hiding spot. Fighting them wasn't the problem—she could handle that. But the thought of being discovered and drawing even more monsters made her chest tighten.

Thalia pressed herself further into the brush, willing herself not to move, not to make a sound. Every muscle burned with the effort as one of the dracaenae drew nearer, her blade glinting in the light.

Then the dracaena stopped abruptly. Her gaze snapped to the ground.

Thalia's stomach dropped as her eyes followed. A shoe.

One of Percy's shoes was sticking out from the edge of the bush, just enough so its scuffed sole was painfully obvious against the dirt.

"Found you," the dracaena hissed. Without hesitation, she lunged, her blade cutting through the air toward the bush.

In an instant, Thalia reacted, extending her weapon and striking out to deflect the attack at the last possible second. Metal clanged against metal, the force reverberating up her arms as she shoved the blade aside.

The dracaena barely had time to react before Thalia's weapon flashed as she lunged. The monster hissed in surprise, but it was too late—Thalia's strike was swift and precise, piercing her scaled chest. The dracaena let out a strangled cry before dissolving into nothing.

Percy, who quickly understood that their cover was blown, followed right behind her, charging toward two more of the monsters as they hissed and raised their blades. He ducked the first swing, slashing upward with Riptide and cutting the nearest one down in a single stroke. The second lunged at him, fangs bared, but Percy spun to the side and countered, his sword slicing cleanly through her torso.

Thalia barely had a chance to catch her breath before the captain surged forward, her heavy blade forcing her to sidestep sharply. The dracaena let out a low, guttural laugh, her slitted eyes gleaming with cruel amusement.

Percy moved to advance, but the dracaena flicked her tail, sending a burst of dirt and debris into the air. He flinched back, coughing as his footing faltered. Thalia darted forward to cover him, only for the dracaena to lash out with her blade, forcing her to retreat as well.

Thalia gritted her teeth, her eyes darting to Percy, who was still recovering from the dirt attack. They needed an opening, but the dracaena's tail coiled beneath her like a spring, ready to strike at any moment.

The dracaena chuckled, her voice low and menacing. "Is this all Olympus has left to offer? Children pretending to be warriors?"

Before Thalia could move, an unsettling wave of shadow rippled through the clearing, fleeting but suffocating, like the sudden chill of a storm cloud passing overhead. It was gone in an instant, but the dracaena stiffened, her forked tongue flicking the air as if she could taste the sudden shift.

Then Nico was behind her. He moved silently, his black blade gleaming darkly as he plunged it into her back in one swift motion. The dracaena let out a strangled hiss, her body stiffening as the dark metal pierced through. She crumbled into dust before she could even turn to face him.

Thalia stared at Nico. "What did you just do?" she asked.

Nico shrugged, sliding his blade back into its sheath. "It's just something I can do," he said evenly. "Don't think about it too hard."

Thalia exchanged a glance with Percy, the tension still thick, but she shook it off. Thalia sighed. "We need to move," she said, her voice firm. "That little show wasn't quiet, and I don't want to find out who else might've heard it."

They had been walking for what felt like hours, the forest gradually thinning as the trees became sparser and the open sky stretched wider overhead. The dirt path gave way to cracked asphalt, and soon they found themselves on the edge of a quiet road.

Buildings appeared in clusters now—quiet neighborhoods and rows of shops that looked untouched but felt wrong. A cab sat abandoned in the middle of the street, its driver slumped over the wheel as if asleep. Farther down the road, a jogger was sprawled on the sidewalk, their water bottle rolling lazily into the gutter.

Percy slowed, frowning. "Are they… asleep?"

Thalia's gaze swept the eerie scene, her unease growing. "Looks like it. Artemis said Kronos's distortions were unraveling New York. Maybe this is part of it."

Nico's voice cut in, calm but unsettling. "It's not just the distortions. Someone's keeping them under."

Thalia glanced at him sharply. "What do you mean?"

He didn't answer right away, his eyes fixed on the sleeping figures as if calculating something. "Kronos has friends who can make this happen."

Percy's brow furrowed, his voice edged with frustration. "How do you even know that?"

Nico didn't meet his gaze, his expression unreadable. "I just do," he said flatly.

Thalia's gaze sharpened, her tone cautious but firm. "You're not telling us everything, are you?"

Nico hesitated, his jaw tightening as he avoided her eyes. For a moment, he didn't move, the silence stretching between them. Then, almost imperceptibly, his gaze flicked downward—toward her wrist, where her bracelet wasn't.

The movement was subtle, but Thalia caught it. Her eyes narrowed, suspicion sparking in her mind. "What are you—"

"Wait, so what are we up against?" Percy interrupted, stepping forward and gesturing toward the motionless town ahead. His voice was tense, cutting through the moment. "I mean, if this is Kronos's doing, why all the sleeping mortals? What's the point?"

Nico exhaled sharply, straightening and using the opportunity to sidestep Thalia's scrutiny. "Kronos doesn't want them in the way," he said, his voice calm but edged with frustration. "Mortals complicate things—panic, confusion, interference. If they're asleep, he doesn't have to deal with them. No distractions, no witnesses."

Percy frowned, his gaze shifting toward the empty street. "So, he just… what? Puts the entire area to sleep and leaves it like that?"

Thalia's eyes flicked between Nico and Percy, but her focus lingered on Nico. She opened her mouth, the question still forming, but he cut her off with a clipped tone.

"Look, none of this matters if we don't get moving," Nico said quickly. "Kronos is already ahead of us. If we're going to stop him, we can't waste time standing around."

Percy frowned but nodded reluctantly, his grip tightening on Riptide. "Fair enough," he muttered.

Thalia hesitated, her gaze lingering on Nico. His face was unreadable, but something about the way he'd glanced at her wrist nagged at her. Still, she couldn't shake the urgency in his voice—or the feeling that pressing him now wouldn't get her anywhere.

"Fine," she said, her tone clipped. She turned on her heel, falling into step behind him.

Thalia started walking, her mind still on Nico's cryptic comments. She didn't get far before her steps faltered, her sharp eyes catching something up ahead. On the side of the road, a car sat idling, its engine humming faintly in the stillness. The driver—a middle-aged man in a business suit—was slumped against the wheel, his breathing slow and steady. Asleep.

Thalia stopped, her gaze fixed on the car. "We're taking that," she said abruptly.

Percy blinked, following her line of sight. "What?"

"The car," she said, already moving toward it. "It's running, and we need to get to Manhattan faster. Unless you're volunteering to walk the rest of the way."

Percy hesitated, glancing between her and Nico. "Are we really doing this?"

Nico shrugged, his expression unbothered. "It's practical. And his car won't matter if the world ends."

Thalia reached the car, pulling open the driver's door. She leaned in to check on the sleeping man, her movements brisk but careful. He didn't stir, his breathing deep and even. Satisfied, she motioned for Percy and Nico to follow.

"Get in," she said flatly, sliding into the driver's seat.

Percy frowned, still lingering by the curb. "Wait, can you even drive?"

Thalia shot him a look. "I'm sixteen, remember? I'll figure it out," she said dryly. "It's not rocket science, and we don't exactly have time for lessons. If we see Kronos's army we can just drive past them. Maybe we'll even get to Manhattan before they do."

Nico was already climbing into the backseat, his voice calm. "You're wasting time, Jackson. Just get in."

The car lurched as Thalia pressed too hard on the accelerator, sending Percy stumbling into the dashboard. "You do know how to ease into it, right?" he said, clutching his seatbelt.

"Do you want to drive?" Thalia shot back, eyes narrowing as she tried to adjust her grip on the wheel. "Oh, wait—you don't know how either."

From the back, Nico's voice was calm but dry. "Just try not to kill us before we get there."

"Relax," Thalia said, though her tone was tight. The car hit a small bump, and for a moment, she felt the steering wheel jerk. She quickly corrected it, her knuckles whitening as she refocused. "See? We're fine."

The first few miles were a little rough—sharp turns, awkward braking, and the occasional lurch that made Percy swear under his breath. But soon enough, the rhythm of driving began to settle in. Thalia loosened her grip on the wheel, her shoulders relaxed just a bit.

Then, unexpectedly, the speakers crackled to life. Thalia jumped slightly, her gaze flicking to the radio as a familiar guitar riff burst through the static. "Green Day?" Percy asked, raising an eyebrow.

Thalia grinned, turning up the volume. "Looks like the guy has taste," she said. The track filled the car, its pounding rhythm somehow cutting through the heavy silence outside.

"You like this?" Percy asked, surprised.

"I love it!" Thalia replied, tapping her fingers against the wheel. "It's loud, chaotic… fitting."

Nico leaned back, closing his eyes. "Could be worse," he said flatly, but there was the faintest hint of amusement in his voice.

For a brief moment, the music turned the drive into something almost normal. The car sped along empty streets, the skyline of Manhattan growing closer with every mile. The stillness outside remained unsettling, though—storefronts stood undisturbed, lights flickered in some buildings, and cars sat abandoned at odd angles. Once, they passed a dog lying in a patch of sunlight on the sidewalk, its leash still wrapped around the hand of its sleeping owner.

Thalia turned off the radio as they reached the Brooklyn Bridge, its sprawling arches rising before them. The emptiness here felt heavier, the usual bustle replaced with silence. "I've never seen it this quiet," Percy said softly.

Thalia didn't respond, her jaw tightened as she guided the car across the bridge. Every rumble of the tires against the asphalt sounded deafening in the absence of other noise. The city loomed ahead, but it didn't feel like the Manhattan they knew—it felt like a husk, waiting for something terrible to happen.

And as they came off the bridge, the calm shattered.

A distant explosion thundered through the city, the sound rippled like a shockwave. It echoed off the skyscrapers, bouncing and amplifying until it felt like it was coming from every direction at once. The ground beneath them trembled faintly, as if even the streets of Manhattan were bracing for the chaos.

Another burst followed—this time louder, sharper—like the crack of a colossal whip. The roars of monsters began to break through the din, guttural and raw, their cries layered with the distant clang of weapons and the unmistakable crash of something massive collapsing.

Thalia's hands gripped the wheel tightly. She pulled the car onto a side street and killed the engine. "We're walking from here," she said curtly, opening the door and stepping out. They began making their way towards the sounds of chaos.

The distant chaos now joined by the acrid smell of smoke. The air felt heavier, charged with tension. The distant glow of Greek fire danced against the glass of nearby buildings, flickering like a warning.

The streets felt like a graveyard of battles past. Cars were overturned and blackened from fire, their shattered windows scattering the pavement like jagged stars. The asphalt was torn and pockmarked, littered with weapons and bits of armor that glinted faintly in the dying light.

They turned a corner, and the remains of another battle came into view. A massive bronze shield lay cracked in the middle of the street, its surface blackened with soot. Nearby, a spear was embedded in the side of a building, the shaft broken cleanly in two. The faint scent of burnt wood lingered in the air, mixing with the acrid tang of smoke.

"They must've been holding here for who knows how long." Percy said. He crouched to pick up a scrap of torn fabric—a Camp Half-Blood banner, its orange faded and smeared with ash.

Another block passed, and the remnants of the defenders' retreat became more apparent. The barricades grew haphazard—overturned garbage cans, shattered furniture, and fragments of celestial bronze hastily piled together in makeshift walls. They were torn apart, ripped open like paper by the overwhelming force of Kronos's army.

Thalia quickened her pace, her boots crunching over broken glass and debris as her eyes darted toward the next intersection. Percy and Nico followed close behind, their weapons drawn and ready.

Thalia's breath caught as they rounded another corner. The street stretched ahead like a massive battlefield, the Empire State Building towering in the distance, several blocks away. Between them and the final line of defense of demigods defending the base of the building was chaos—a massive battalion of Kronos's army stretched across the avenue, thousands of monsters surging forward in a relentless tide. Laistrygonians smashed their clubs into rubble, dracaenae barked orders, and hellhounds prowled restlessly along the edges. The roar of battle was deafening, bouncing off the skyscrapers. The echoes blended into a relentless symphony of destruction.

At the far end of the street, nearly at the base of the Empire State Building, the front line of the Kronos's army crashed against a desperate line of demigods. The defenders were fighting valiantly but they were outnumbered.

Hopelessly outnumbered.

Thalia's grip tightened on her weapon, and for a moment, the chaos seemed to blur, her focus narrowing to one, undeniable truth: they had to get there. No matter the cost.

"We're never going to make it in time," Percy said quietly, almost defeatedly.

Thalia turned to him, her expression set, her electric blue eyes blazing with resolve. "We don't have a choice," she said, her voice steady. "Whatever it takes."

She glanced at Nico, who nodded once, his dark blade already in hand. The shadows seemed to ripple around him, drawn to his resolve.

Then her gaze flicked back to Percy, and for a moment, the roar of the battle ahead faded into the background. "Remember what I said last night?" she asked, her voice softer now, but no less certain.

Percy nodded. "You said you wouldn't change anything."

Thalia's expression didn't waver, but there was a flicker of something raw behind her eyes. "I meant it," she said. "Even now. Even if this is it. I wouldn't change anything, Percy."

He stared at her, the weight of her words sinking in. His throat felt tight, but he managed to nod. "Me neither."

Thalia exhaled as her gaze returned to the chaos ahead. "Then let's make it count."

Without another word, the three of them surged forward, running straight toward the rear of Kronos's army.