Percy Jackson: Daughter of Shadows

10. The Worst Comes to Pass

Viktor was sitting on the ledge of the hotel, gazing out past the horizon. "Hey," I said, inching next to him. "Hey. Who was the Titan?" "Prometheus. I may or may not have used him as a broom" Viktor laughed. "Seriously?" "Yep. What? I was in a bad mood" "Yeah, no kidding" He pulled out an iPhone 15. "Where in the Hades did you find that?" I asked, bewildered. "Some old guy outside the bank had it. I don't think he knew how it worked" I smiled. "Check it out" Viktor said, opening the phone. "You heard Percy, the monsters will find us-" "The same monsters who I just saw getting their butts get handed to them by a very, very angry Zoe Nightshade?" I shrugged. "Fuck it, let's use it. We need a better map of Manhattan" I said, taking the phone from him. I opened Google Maps and searched for Manhattan. "Okay, tiny, tiny problem. Theoretically, Kronos and his remaining armies could hide inside the drugstores closest to Olympus. We can destroy them because of the mortals, but we could lock them up and station a few people outside of them" "Sounds good, anything else?" "Yeah. I read Percy's mind while we were headed to meet Prometheus. Rachel knows somethings up" Viktor stared at me. "How?" "I don't know. She could be like Sally and my mom. Clearsighted?" "Possible, but the last time we checked, I'm the only other mortal anyone at camp knows that isn't related to a god somehow that can see through the Mist. How can Rachel see through it?"  "Maybe she's somehow just incredibly lucky with the Fates?" "I sincerely doubt that."

      "Well then, what's your brilliant idea, your royal highness?" Viktor laughed. "I'm 'Your Royal Highness' now, am I?" I blushed. "Shut up" I mumbled. "No, I don't think I will" I groaned. "When did you decide to change your personality to 'I stay calm and patient while Lilly goes on rampages' to 'annoying boyfriend who constantly comes up with weird ways to flirt with my girlfriend'?"  I asked. "When you decided to argue with me about marriage" "And like I told you, give it a few more years" "Lilly, in a few years, we will legally be able to drink, vote, and go to clubs without fake ID's. Not to mention you are literally the daughter of a god and king, so technically you can get married even earlier" I grinned. "Well, if I'm the daughter of a king, that means you are a peasant" He almost looked offended. "So, the princess kissed a peasant willingly? How crass! The king will have his head for this!" "Yeah, right" I said, laying my head on his shoulder. "Nothing's happening to you, not on my watch." 

    "HYPERION?!" I exclaimed. "Yeah. It's getting bad out there. Next to Atlas, he's the greatest Titan warrior. Anyone who fights him is screwed" Viktor swung his sword. "So? I say we head out there and help Percy and Annabeth fight that bastard" "Viktor, with all due respect," Charley said. "You and Lilly were severely injured when you both got back. Lilly was on the verge of hibernation worthy of Hypnos when she got here according to Will. You on the other hand, got shot in chest with an arrow and in your wings. Any overexertion could lead to one of you being fully out of the war" "Who cares? People's lives are at stake, I'm not sitting by and letting some asshole Titan stomp over us and let Kronos win. I'll fight. Lilly?" I nodded. "Phobos, Deimos, tell anyone who can still fight, and only if they're willing to, then they can rejoin the war. If not, Polyphemus is down at the docks, ready to send ships to Haven. Kronos doesn't know about it, so they'll be safe there. When this is over, I'll send Circe over and reinforce the barrier around it" I said, standing up. Eros sighed. "Very well. But on one condition" "What?" "If a single one of you gets injured, you come right back, no complaints. Understood?" "Sure" "Understood?" "She said sure, that's good enough" Viktor said, grabbing a handgun. "Hey, leave that! Do you even know how to shoot it?" Eros exclaimed. Viktor smirked. "Unlike Arron Burr, I'm not a terrible shot. Now, if you'll excuse me and Lilly, we have a fight to get back to." 

   When we got down to the fight, Percy was fighting Hyperion one-on-one in the lake. I spotted a few fallen half-bloods and Hunters and whistled. Two giant snakes erupted from the ground, slithering along the lake. "You two gather up the half-bloods and Hunters and get them someplace safe, alright?" I said, stroking their scales. The snakes hissed in unison and began to swallow the half-bloods, Hunters, and timber wolves whole. Zoe Nightshade came dashing out from the Plaza, her bow drawn, aiming at Hyperion. She had a silvery glow around her, and she reeked of death. "Lilly, Viktor, what's your plan for him? I can hit him from here. My arrow can go straight through his skull" "No, don't fire" Viktor said. "Lilly and Percy can work on tiring him out, Grover's by the bank, I'm pretty sure he has a plan" "And you?" Zoe asked. "I'll be helping Lilly and Percy. Zoe, get in one of those trees, protect the dryads and nymphs there" Zoe nodded. "Very well. Good luck to you both. Give Percy my prayers" I smirked. "Can a goddess even pray?" Zoe smiled. "Hestia remains on Olympus. As long as she stays there, I'll be praying to her and Lady Artemis for advice. Other than that," The remaining timber wolves gathered at her feet. Her bow glowed, and a circlet made of twigs entwined with red amaranths and night-blooming cereus. "I am a goddess. You both have my blessing. Once again, good luck" "Good luck to you too" I said, drawing my swords.  Viktor turned around and narrowed his eyes. "I think we'll need it." 

      "Percy, heads up!" I yelled, hitting a jar of Greek fire at Hyperion. He smirked and waved his hand, absorbing the fire. "Ah, if it isn't Lilly Black. How's that traitorous son of mine? Betraying his own lineage, his very nature, to be with the women he loved. But," He looked to Viktor. "It appears that you have chosen this mortal over him. Oh, he must be heartbroken. But I did tell him" Hyperion's eyes flared. "Love makes you w-AUGHHH!" Viktor had wrapped his legs in poisoned vines. "On the contrary, your Flashiness. It appears that what really makes you weak is pettiness and stupidity. That, and poison" Viktor said, swinging his sword. "Lilly, how do you feel about Titan kabobs?" "Disgusted" I said, bewildered. Vik rolled his eyes, grinning. 

   Percy was stirring up his own personal hurricane, sending Hyperion back and forth with the wind. Pillars of gemstones stabbed him in the feet, ichor pouring into the lake. "ARGH!" Hyperion roared. "Percy, bring him over here!" Grover called. Hyperion roared. "Not before my dear little brother has victory over another dead demigod!" Hyperion bellowed. "Percy, look out!" I screamed, pushing him out of the way. "NO!" Grover yelled. I turned around. Hyperion brought down his sword, ready to cut me in half. "Lilly, look out!" Percy yelled. I looked up, and then I flew backwards. Someone had pushed me. Hyperion raised his sword again, blood coming off in tiny droplets. Viktor looked at me, his sword turning back into his cane. "Viktor...?" He fell to the ground. 

     "NO!" I screamed, rushing towards him. Percy knelt next to me, looking him over. "Lilly, look..." Viktor's leg was missing, the one that had resulted in me enchanting his cane. "Vik, why?" I whispered, tears pouring down my face. "You.... needed... to.... protect... Percy and Nico...." he said, his eyes flittering shut. "No, no, no. Please, no, this wasn't supposed to happen" I sobbed. "Lilly" Viktor cupped my cheek. "I love you" "I-I love you too, Vik. Just please hang on" "When have you ever known me to let go of something?" He wiped my eyes, his breathing heavy. "I mean it, Lilly. I love you" His eyes closed, and his hand let go of mine. 

     "Lilly?" Percy asked. "Are you alright?" I looked up, my eyes watery and red. A few nymphs had gathered around us, looking at Viktor with sad looks on their faces. "You two," I said, pointing at two wood nymphs. "Take him to the infirmary or Olympus, either one is fine. Tell the healers to do everything, everything they can to save him. I don't care if they have to use the most dangerous magic possible, whatever it takes" They nodded, picking up Viktor. They carried him off to the Empire State Building. "Percy, keep that hurricane going. Tell Grover to start it with the panpipes" "What's your plan?" I drew my swords, pointing them at Hyperion. "Just get him stuck somewhere. Death's too kind for him. I want him to suffer the same way Viktor will be suffering for the rest of his life, thanks to him." 

   Grover began to play his panpipes, Leneus joining in. Percy willed his hurricane to push Hyperion towards them, his legs turning to tree roots. "How far do you want him frozen" "Just halfway, I want to see his face" I growled. "You sure? He's very bright" "Cleary not in the brain department" Leneus murmured. "No, he never has been" I hissed. "Clearly, Helios got his brain form his mother" Percy said. "Indeed" "I will not be bested!" Hyperion bellowed. "Really? Cause you just did" Percy said, and he was right. Hyperion was trapped in maple bark and tree roots. I flew up to him, my sword at his throat. "What, are you going to kill me?" My hands shook. I sighed and lowered my sword. "No. I'm going to be merciful and just do this" I waved my hand, and Hyperion began to shrink. "Grover, start removing the maple wood" I said. The bark disappeared. A teenage boy about eighteen stood where Hyperion was. "What did you do?" Grover asked. "I thought you were going to kill him?" I shook my head. "So did I. But being mortal is the worst punishment you can give an immortal. I did him one better. I stripped him of his powers and immortality. He can find Helios, see if he'll be willing to let him live with him" Hyperion looked almost exactly like his son, except for with orange eyes. I walked towards him and held out my hand. He stared at it, growling. "Just take it, you idiot, I don't have all day. You hurt my boyfriend and possibly cost him his life. Being dipped in the Styx doesn't mean you can't die from bleeding out from an immortal weapon" Hyperion sighed and took my hand. "Get going, or I won't spare you again" He headed towards the destroyed bridge. "He'll live, just to let you know" Hyperion said. I smiled slightly. "Thanks" "Don't thank me, Miss Black, you very well may die" He chuckled. "Good luck."