𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 ⋆ percy jackson

𝐱𝐢𝐱. i've got me

"Thalia please," she said. "Don't."

Behind Luke, the golden sarcophagus began to glow.

"We will raise Mount Othrys right here," Luke promised, in a voice so strained it was hardly his.

"Once more, it will be stronger and greater than Olympus. Look, Thalia. We are not weak."

He pointed toward the ocean, and her heart fell.

Marching up the side of the mountain, from the beach where the Princess Andromeda was docked, was a great army.

Dracaenae and Laestrygonians, monsters and half-bloods, hell hounds, harpies, and other things Cassie couldn't even name.

The whole ship must've been emptied, because there were hundreds, many more than she'd seen on board last summer.

And they were marching toward them. In a few minutes, they would be there.

"This is only a taste of what is to come," Luke said. "Soon we will be ready to storm Camp Half-Blood. And after that, Olympus itself. All we need is your help."

For a terrible moment, Thalia hesitated. She gazed at Luke, her eyes full of pain, as if the only thing she wanted in the world was to believe him.

Then she leveled her spear. "You aren't Luke. I don't know you anymore."

"He'll destroy you Thalia," he pleaded. "Please. Don't make me... Don't make him destroy you."

There was no time. If that army got to the top of the hill, they would be overwhelmed.

Percy met Cassie's eyes and then Annabeth's eyes again. The three nodded.

"Now," he said.

Together, they charged.

Cassie went straight for Luke. The power of Kairos was so great that his dragon-women bodyguards fled in a panic, dropping the golden coffin and leaving him alone.

But despite his sickly appearance, Luke was still quick with his sword. He snarled like a wild animal and counterattacked.

When his sword, Backbiter, met Cassie's, sparks flew between them.

Out of the corner of her eye, Cassie saw Percy and Thalia going for the General.

Good, she could focus only on Luke. Make him suffer for all that he had caused and for Annabeth.

He laughed. "I see you have improved with your left."

Cassie pressed against him. "I see you're still sloppy with your right."

Luke laughed again, Cassie wanted to punch him. "Ever so sweet."

He seemed... happy Cassie was there. As if everything was going to plan, as if he already knew the outcome.

He was being vicious with her, but she knew he could he even worse.

And then it happened, the sun appeared from in between the clouds, Luke didn't expect that.

Cassie took advantage of his surprise and kicked him and his sword away, he was at the edge of the cliff, she pressed the tip of her sword against his throat.

"It's over Luke."

It would be so easy to kill him or push him, but Cassie didn't want to hurt him so badly, after all he was still Luke and human. She didn't want to be heartless, she wanted to be compassionate.