Race of the arrows

Chapter 5

Percy, sleep deprived, bruises, cuts and blood ran along his body. Apollo, covered in bruises, lack of sleep. They both still had their muscles and body, but they are in no good condition. Percy had it worse, he is going insane, blackness creeping from the corner of his eyes, everyday, he would lose a bit of himself. Apollo would manage to bring him back by a little but not much.

"Percy, you love water right?" Kronos asked. Percy stayed quiet. Kronos took a towel, soaked it in water, then pushed Percy's head in. Percy's worst fear, drowning. He couldn't breathe that way. Kronos made time sped up for them, they had been in there for 15 years, on Earth, it had only been 15 months. Kronos made Percy immortal so he could receive more torturing. Everyone was tired of waiting.

"I'll give you a little gift before I send you back," Kronos purred. He carved a 'K' on Percy's body, blood seeping out quickly. He then threw Percy next to Apollo, then he punched Apollo in the face.

"I'm reforming. If you don't like me at my worst, you won't like me at my best," Kronos warned.

"I don't like you at all," Percy chuckled tiredly. Hearing this, Kronos decided to ignore it, he then waved his hand and they were bounded in chains by giants.

"Get up, we're going back to Olympus," Kronos growled. He then teleported them to Olympus.

"Who are you?" Zeus growled, not looking.

"Why don't you take a look, son?" Kronos smirked. Everyone were staring at the ceiling, but after hearing that voice, they looked and gasped. Apollo covered in bruises, Percy covered with ichor, cuts, gashes.

"May this be a warning to you, I'm reforming," Kronos said. then he disappeared along with the chains tying Percy and Apollo. Artemis ran to Apollo and embraced him tightly.

"Percy?" Poseidon tried carefully, he saw Percy's eyes covered in blackness. After hearing that voice and being on Olympus, blackness inched closer towards the edge of his eye.

"Percy? I don't know a Percy," he laughed humorously, the same voice, yet not the same mind. He laughed until tears gathering around his eyes. Suddenly, his face changed, they were emotionless. His eyes, a void of emotion.

"Buddy, relax," Apollo tried, being with his sister made him happy again. Percy did not come back, his face was stoic. Blackness dominating his eyes.

"Percy?" Nico suddenly came out behind his father.

"Nico!" Percy gasped, his old self coming back. He ran and hugged Nico, suddenly he winced. Unfortunately, Nico noticed.

"What happened to you?" Nico asked, crying. He lifted his shirt up, and seeing the 'K' made him even more heartbroken.

"Nothing, I wanna talk about," he replied, fumbling to pull his shirt down. He was covered in ichor everywhere. His eyes had turn back to sea green when seeing Nico, but they were dull. Everyone saw the two and they were sad to see their old hero like that.

Hestia came out and hugged Percy silently, she tried healing him. Only minor cuts have been healed, not the deep and big ones. She was really heartbroken, seeing the hero at this state. Apollo on the other hand was healing pretty fast, his eyes were filled with hate when he saw some of the gods, his father included.

Poseidon tried to come and hugged his son, but Percy's eyes turned black again, "NO!" he roared. Poseidon staggered back, surprised and sad. Nico put his hand on Percy, calming him down. After a lot of struggling, they became green again. Then, he collapsed in exhaustion.

Nico immediately took him to a cliffside, a place where Percy always took him to when he's feeling down. He watched after Percy while looking at the stars. Zoe's constellation seemed to shine brightly, seeing the hero back. It seemed to be healing Percy, giving him strength. Percy was sleeping peacefully under Zoe's protection.