Another Love ─── L. Castellan

c. trauma for you and you and you

He knocked aside Chiron's blade and yelled, "Back!" A blinding white light exploded between the Titan and the centaur. Chiron flew into the side of the building with such force the wall crumbled and collapsed on top of him. 

"No!" Annabeth wailed. 

The freezing spell broke. We ran toward our teacher, but there was no sign of him. Thalia and I pulled helplessly at the bricks while a ripple of ugly laughter ran through the Titan's army.

 "You!" Annabeth turned on Puck. "To think that I...that I thought—" 

She drew her knife. 

"Annabeth, don't." I tried to take her arm, but she shook me off. She lunged for Kronos, but Luke grabbed her and shoved her behind him, taking the place as he deflected Kronos' scythe. It sent Luke skidding backwards, but he stood tall in front of his little sister.

"I trained you." He hissed. "Everything that boy knows, I know better."

"The turncoat, back again." Kronos growled, Annabeth and Thalia looking confused as I stepped up and pushed Annabeth further back as Luke's face turned into a scowl. "Here to change sides?"

"You only wanted me on your side because you knew I'd be harder to defeat. Puck, we can kill." Luke's face was set in stone as Kronos chuckled. He stepped forward to fight but faltered, as if one part of Puck remembered that Luke had looked after him. I saw the strike coming before my boyfriend did, spinning to kick the back of Luke's knees as the scythe swung where his head would have been.

"So much spirit. I can see why Puck wanted to spare you. Unfortunately, that won't be possible." He raised his scythe. I got ready to defend, but before Kronos could strike, a dog's howl pierced the air somewhere behind the Titan's army. 

I knew that howl.

"Mrs. O'Leary?" The enemy forces stirred uneasily. They began to part, clearing a path through the street like something behind them was forcing them to. Soon there was a free aisle down the centre of Fifth Avenue. Standing at the end of the block was my giant dog, and a small figure in black armor. 

"Nico?" I called. Who let the child out the house?

Mrs. O'Leary bounded toward me, ignoring the growling monsters on either side. Nico strode forward. The enemy army fell back before him like he radiated death. Through the face guard of his skull-shaped helmet, he smiled. 

"Got your message. Is it too late to join the party?" 

"Son of Hades." Kronos spit on the ground. "Do you love death so much you wish to experience it?" 

"Your death," Nico said, "would be great for me." 

"I'm immortal, you fool! I have escaped Tartarus. You have no business here, and no chance to live." 

Nico drew his sword, grinning. "I don't agree." 

"They grow up so fast." I mumbled to Luke, who was rubbing his head. I might have accidentally given him a concussion when I kicked his legs out from beneath him. "He's annoying immortal beings."

"He's your cousin. There's a reason." Luke huffed, rubbing his head. "I need to find my helmet."

Cracks appeared in the road, the sidewalks, the sides of the buildings. Skeletal hands grasped the air as the dead clawed their way into the world of the living. There were thousands of them, and as they emerged, the Titan's monsters got jumpy and nervous. 

There were calls to stand your ground as the sky turned dark and cold. Shadows thickened. A harsh war horn sounded, and as the dead soldiers formed up ranks with their guns and swords and spears, an enormous chariot roared down Fifth Avenue, coming to a stop beside Nico.