Flowergirl, Percy Jackson

018. All Too Well

Kronos turns away from Ethan's body as Lila struggles on the ground. As he turns toward her, Percy lunges at the Titan Lord, clearly trying to distract him from Lila bleeding out, and Annabeth on the floor. Grover's currently feeding her ambrosia - while Kronos is distracted, he tosses a piece to Lila, who manages to roll onto her side and reach it with her fingertips, shoving it into her mouth as fast as she can. It brings back a little of her strength, but the wound can't heal while there's a spear stuck in it. 

Her fingers feel for the wound - there's a wooden piece sticking out from her stomach, piercing her further with every inhale and exhale of her diaphragm. 

Okay, think clearly. She instructs herself, inhaling again, ignoring the stinging at her stomach. First she needs to get that stupid stick out of her. Her hand manages to wrap around it - with a wince, she tugs it out of her stomach. Blood, fresh blood, pours immediately from the wound, dizzying her. 

She casts a glance over to Percy. Kronos slashes an armrest off Ares's throne, then backing him up to Poseidon's. "Oh, yes," he snarls. "This one will make fine kindling for my new hearth!"

Their blades collide - Percy pushes him back with renewed strength, slashing Riptide across his chest it cuts the armour, Celestial Bronze splitting. 

Lila's beginning to get more dizzy. She needs to stop the bleeding, and quick. She looks around for a knife - all that she has is Ethan's, the one he used to cut her. It's all there is, now her spear his broken, so she grabs it and used it to cut the bottom of her T-shirt off. Half of it is soaked in blood, the other in dirt, but there's nothing better, so she slices it into a thin strip and wraps it tightly around her side, hoping it will slow the blood loss at least for a little longer. 

Kronos looks over just as Lila gets to her feet, and suddenly she's rooted to the ground, frozen in time as he turns back to Percy. All that effort, only to be incapacitated by a literal time-out. 

"It's too late, Percy Jackson," he says to Percy smugly. "Behold."

He points to the glowing embers. The images are directed for Percy, but Lila sees them too - Nico and Percy's parents, surrounded by enemies on all sides. Hades fights from his chariot, summoning zombies, but they collide uselessly with the Titan's army. Around them, Manhattan is a beacon of destruction. Mortals are running in terror, cars colliding with each other, and other people.

The scene changes. Towards the Hudson river, a huge pillar of literal storm approaches, gliding over the shore. Around it circle tiny chariots, dwarfed by the size of the monster - only flickering golden lights surrounding a titan.

Lila makes out lightning. Arrows of gold and silver - Artemis and Apollo. The clouds begin to rip apart, and Typhon's face comes into view. 

For a moment, Lila swears that she's seen that face before. Then, with horror, she realises it's just the face of every monster she's ever seen, constantly evolving. Typhon is all those monsters, and worse. His face shifts every second, much like Aphrodite's, only while hers was beautiful, each face of his was more grotesque. 

His body is almost as grotesque. His skin is green, covered with huge blisters and burns, probably from being beneath a volcano. He's humanoid, but also inhuman, so monstrous Lila can't bear to look at him. 

"The Olympians are giving their final effort." Kronos laughs. "How pathetic."

Zeus throws a thunderbolt, and the entire world shakes. But Typhon just staggers a little, before returning to his advance. He steps into the Hudson River, it barely reaching halfway up his calf. 

Then, a conch horn sounds - from the picture. Lila doesn't recognise the sound, but Percy does, for his eyes light up. 

Around Typhon, the river erupts, huge waves bursting from the banks. Out of the water appears a new chariot - pulled by hippocampi. Poseidon rides in a circle around the giant's legs - the God of the sea glows with power, his long black hair flying around him. With every trident swing, the river responds, a cloud surrounding the monster.