This Dark Night ― Percy Jackson & Annabeth Chase¹

―xix. olympus perseveres, the hero falls

"Your mother," Annabeth grunted. "She saw your fate."

"Service to Kronos!" the Titan roared. "This is my fate."

"No!" Annabeth insisted. Her eyes were tearing up, but Percy didn't know if it was from sadness or pain. "That's not the end, Luke. The prophecy—she saw what you would do. It applies to you!"

"I will crush you, child!" Kronos bellowed.

"You won't," Annabeth said. "You promised. You're holding Kronos back even now."

"LIES!" Kronos pushed again and this time Annabeth lost her balance. With his free hand, Kronos struck her face and she slid backward.

Percy summoned all his will. He managed to rise, but it was like holding the weight of the sky again.

Kronos loomed over Annabeth, his sword raised.

Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. She croaked, "Family, Luke. You promised."

Percy took a painful step forward. Grover was back on his feet, over by the throne of Hera, but he seemed to be struggling to move as well. Only Naomi managed to reach Annabeth, collapsing to her knees out of a handmade shadow at her side.

Kronos staggered. He stared at the knife in Annabeth's hand, the blood on her face. "Promise."

Then he gasped like he couldn't get air. "Annabeth..." But it wasn't the Titan's voice. It was Luke's. He stumbled forward like he couldn't control his own body. "You're bleeding..."

"My knife." Annabeth tried to raise her dagger, but it clattered out of her hand. Her arm was bent at a funny angle. She looked at Percy, imploring, "Percy, please..."

He could move again.

He surged forward and scooped up her knife. He knocked Backbiter out of Luke's hand and it spun into the hearth. Luke hardly paid him any attention. He stepped towards Annabeth and Naomi, but Percy put himself between them.

"Don't touch them," he said.

Anger rippled across the Titan's face. Kronos's voice growled: "Jackson..." Was it his imagination, or was Luke's whole body glowing, turning gold?

He gasped again. Luke's voice: "He's changing. Help. He's—He's almost ready. He won't need my body anymore. Please—"

"NO!" Kronos bellowed. He looked around for his sword, but it was in the hearth, glowing among the coals.

He stumbled toward it. Percy tried to stop him, but he pushed him out of the way with such force that Percy landed next to Annabeth and cracked his head on the base of Athena's throne.

"The knife, Percy," Annabeth muttered. Her breath was shallow. "Hero... cursed blade..."

When his vision came back into focus, Percy saw Kronos grasping his sword. Then he bellowed in pain and dropped it. His hands were smoking and seared. The hearth fire had grown red hot, like the scythe wasn't compatible with it. Percy saw an image of Hestia flickering in the ashes, frowning at Kronos with disapproval.

Luke turned and collapsed, clutching his ruined hands. "Please, Percy..."

Percy struggled to his feet. He moved toward him with the knife. He should kill him. That was the plan. It was the smart thing to do.

Luke seemed to know what Percy was thinking. He moistened his lips. "You can't... can't do it yourself. He'll break my control. He'll defend himself. Only my hand. I know where. I can... can keep him controlled."

He was definitely glowing now, his skin starting to smoke.

Percy raised the knife to strike. Then he looked at Annabeth, at Naomi cradling her in her arms, wisps of shadows rising up to try to protect them both, at Grover trying to shield them, too.