Race Against Time - Percy Jackson

Chapter Two

-Chapter Two-

Percy was unmoving, his eyes shut, his hands were limp, his heartbeat was faint. Yorath was looking at his brother in panic, nervousness, and shock evident in his eyes. He immediately turned towards Chronos, as if trying say tell me what you know.

Chronos gave a small sigh, expecting that Yorath wanted answers.

"What in the actual living hell is The Time Strain?" Yorath asked, worried about Percy's health.

"It's basically a curse. It puts a strain on his body that makes him experience pain that no one else has." Chronos explained.

"It goes on for years until eventually," he stammered out, "they die."

Yorath gasped lightly as he finally clicked the pieces together.

"But why did he only show symptoms of it now?" Yorath questioned. "If it was supposed to go on for years upon years, then why now?"

"He has a connection with time, his body counteracts it." Chronos explained.

"But The Time strain is not to be trifled with, nothing in the whole universe, even Chaos himself can't cure it." Chronos added. "It existed for as long as time is present."

Yorath cursed silently, careful for Chronos not to hear.

"How did it end up with him in the first place?" Yorath asked.

"The day I found him, I was investigating a temendous spike of energy in a certain area." Chronos stated. "When I got there, his real mother had died, he already had an hourglass mark on his neck."

"Every time manipulator has some sort of unique presence if you will." Chronos stated.

"And that." He said pointing at the mark on Percy's neck, "is the work of Kronos, the titan of time."

"Then what are we supposed to do?" Yorath asked, dread in his voice. Chronos stared at the unconscious Percy, staring at the hourglass mark on his neck. Yorath took note of this, slowly anticipating the answer. He didn't want to hear it, but inside himself, he knew what the answer was.

"I'm afraid we can't do anything about it, we can only hope to make his last days the best." Chronos said as tears started to form in his eyes.

"Days?!" Yorath screamed.

"I thought it was supposed to be years before he passes!" Yorath argued, the stress starting to get to him.

"It is. Ever since the strain was placed upon him, it has been taking its toll on his body. It slowly became more powerful until his immunity could no longer hold on. The full force of The Time Strain built upon years and years came crashing down onto him in one fell swoop."

"I-" Yorath was absolutely speechless. He didn't know what to do, he didn't what to say. His mind was jumbled up. He grew up along Percy. He couldn't even imagine a life without him. They were brothers, even if it wasn't by blood, they were still siblings. No one wanted to lose their siblings. No matter how hard they fought each other, no matter how bad they want to punch each other's faces they still were siblings. They would take a bullet for each other if need be.