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chapter thirty-nine
( the last olympian )
❝ a sleeping city! ❞
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Annabeth has a really cool shield. No, I'm serious. Amongst the sleeping city as we stepped down out onto the sidewalks from the Empire State Building, she had Argus give her this really cool shield before he would have to leave to defend Camp. It was one of Daedalus's inventions, and when she told us that you could see any target "━under the sun and moon, as long as natural light is touching it━" we immediately crowded around as she showed us.
And she was correct. We could see practically everything.
"Whoa!" Connor let out. "Back it up. Zoom in right there."
"What?" Annabeth asked nervously. "You see invaders?"
"No, right there━Dylan's Candy Bar," Connor grinned at his brother. "Dude, it's open. And everyone is asleep. Are you thinking what I'm thinking━?"
"Connor!" Katie scolded. "This is serious. You are not going to loot a candy store in the middle of a war!"
"Sorry," he muttered, but he didn't sound it.
Annabeth passed her hand in front of the shield, and another scene popped up: FDR Drive, looking across the river at━I think it's Lighthouse Park? (Yes, it's Lighthouse Park, Percy assured me).
"This will let us see what's going on across the city," she said. "Thank you, Argus. Hopefully, we'll see you back at camp ... someday."
Argus grunted, giving Percy a final: good luck, you'll need it look before climbing back into his van. He and the two harpy drivers swerved away, weaving around the clusters of idle cars that littlered the road.
Percy whistled for Mrs O'Leary, and she came bounding over. The only one happy out of all of us. "Hey, girl," he said. "You remember Grover? The satyr we met in the park?"
"WOOF!"
(Does that mean yes? I wish I could speak dog like Percy can speak horse and fish). "I need you to find him," he continued. "Make sure he's still awake. We're going to need his help. You got that? Find Grover!"
Mrs O'Leary gave him a sloppy kiss, and Percy scrunched his face up. Then, she raced off north.
Pollux crouched down next to a sleeping police officer, frowning. "I don't get it ..." he murmured. "Why didn't we fall asleep too? Why just the mortals?"
"This is a huge spell," said Silena. "The bigger the spell, the easier it is to resist. If you want to sleep millions of mortals, you've got to cast a very thin layer of magic. Sleeping demigods is much harder."
Percy stared at her. "When did you learn so much about magic?"
She blushed. "I don't spend all my time in the wardrobe."
"Percy," called Annabeth, who was still looking at the shield. "You better see this."
Cain, Percy and I all looked over her shoulder. The bronze image showd Long Island Sound near La Guardia, where a fleet of a dozen speedboats raced through the dark water towards Manhattan. Each boat was packed with demigods in full Greek armour. At the back of the lead boat, a purple banner amblazoned with a black scythe flapped in the night wind: Kronos.
"Scan the preminter of the island," said Percy. "Quick."
She shifted the scene to the harbour, and a Staten Island ferry was ploughing through the waves near Ellis Island. The deck was crowded with dracaenae and a whole pack of hellhounds. Swimming in front of the ship was a pod of marine mammals━telkhines. Once again, the scene shifted, showing the Jersey shore right at the entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel. A hundred assorted monsters were marching past the lanes of stopped traffic━giants, Cyclopes, fire-spitting dragons, and a World War Two-era Sherman tank, pushing cars out of its way as it rumbled into the tunnel.
"Wait, what's happening with the mortals outside Manhattan?" asked Cain. "Is the whole state asleep?"
Annabeth frowned. "I don't think so, but it's strange. As far as I can tell from these pictures, Manhattan is totally asleep. Then there's, like, a fifty-mile radius around the island where time is running really, really slow. The closer you get to Manhattan, the slower it is."
She showed us another scene: of a New Jersey highway. The drivers all looked awake, driving through the traffic, but the cars were moving at one mile per hour. Birds around them flew in slow motion.
"Kronos," said Percy. "he's slowing time."
"Hecate might be helping," Katie said. "Look how the cars are all veering away from the Manhattan exits like they're getting a subconscious message to turn back."
"I don't know," Annabeth muttered, frustrated. She hated not knowing. "But somehow they've surrounded Manhattan in layers of magic. The outside world might not even realise something is wrong. Any mortals coming towards Manhattan will slow down so much they won't know what's happening."
"Like flies in amber," Jake Mason sighed.
Annabeth nodded, "We shouldn't expect any help coming in."
Percy turned to us━most of the campers looked stunned and scared, and I couldn't blame them, because so was I. That shield ... it showed at least three hundred enemies on the way, far more than we could take on. "All right," he said. "We're going to hold Manhattan."
Silena tugged at her armour nervously. "Um, Percy. Manhattan is huge."
"We are going to hold it," he said. "We have to."
"He's right," I said, giving him a nod. "The gods of the wind should keep Kronos's forces away from Olympus by air, which means he's going to try a ground assault. We have to cut off the entrances to the island."
"They have boats," pointed out Dean.
Percy met his gaze, and a wash of realisation hit him. "I'll take care of the boats."
"How?"
"Just leave it to me. We need to guard the bridges and tunnels. Let's assume they'll try a midtown or downtown assault, atleast on their first try. That would be the most direct way to the Empire State Building. Michael, take Apollo's cabin to the Williamsburg Bridge. Katie, Demeter's cabint akes the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel. Grow thorn bushes and poison ivy in the tunnel. Do whatever you have to do━but keep them out of there! Connor━take half of Hermes cabin and cover the Manhattan Bridge. Travis, you take the other half and cover the Brooklyn Bridge. And no stopping for looting or pillaging!"
"Awwww," complained the whole Hermes cabin.
"Silena, take the Aphrodite crew to the Queens━Midtown Tunnel."
"Oh, my gods!" one of her sisters━Drew, I think━said, "Fifth Avenue is so on our way! We could accessorize, and monsters, like, totally hate the smell of Givenchy."
"No delays," said Percy. "Well ... the perfume thing, if you think it'll work."
Six Aphrodite girls kissed him on the cheek in excitement, and I clenched my fists. I wanted to shout at them to back off, but Percy held his hands up and said, "All right, enough!" he closed his eyes, trying to think what he had forgotten. "The Holland Tunnel. Jake━take Hephaestus cabin there. Use Greek fire, set traps. Whatever you got."
He grinned, "Glady. We've got a score to settle. For Beckendorf!"
The whole cabin roared in approval.
"The Fifty-ninth Street Bridge," Percy then said, "Clarisse━" he faltered. Clarisse wasn't here, and neither was the entire Ares cabin.
Annabeth quickly stepped in, "We'll take that." She turned to her siblings. "Malcom, take Athena cabin and activate plan twenty-three along the way, just like I showed you. Hold that position. Cain, you go with him━and wherever your needed. We need you to scare some armies for us."
He nodded, "On it," he said, and unsheathed his sword.
"I'll go with Claire and Percy," she said. "Then we'll join you━or we'll go wherever we're needed."
Some little shit in the back of the group said, "Make sure Claire and Percy make no detours."
There was some giggles. I went to punch them, but Annabeth held me back.
"All right," said Percy. "Keep in touch with cell phones."
"We don't have cell phones," said Silena.
Percy reached down, picked up a random phone from a snoring lady and tossed it to Silena. "You do now. You all know Annabeth's number, right? If you need us, pick up a random phone and call us. Use it once, drop it, then borrow another one if you have to. That should make it harder for the monsters to zero in on you."
"I got a cell, too," added Cain, fishing into his pocket. I stared at him, mouth agape. He's been holding out on me? What? I want a cell phone! "Come around and I'll give you my number so you can call me if you need me."
Everyone grinned like they liked this idea as Cain started writing his number down on hands and arms.
Travis cleared his throat, "Uh, if we find a really nice phone━"
"No, you can't keep it," said Percy.
"Aw, man..."
"Hold it, Percy," Jake Mason put a finger up. "You forgot the Lincoln Tunnel."
Percy's shoulders slumped. He looked ready to curse, but a voice called from across the street: "How about you leave that to us?"
I breathed a grin in seeing Thalia lead a band of thirty teenage girls across Fifth Avenue. They wore white shirts, silvery camouflage pants and combat boots with swords at their sides, quivers on their backs and bows at the ready. A pack of white timber wolves miled around their feet, and many held hunting falcons on their arms.
"Thalia!" Annabeth and I cried out, relieved.
She grinned, "The Hunters of Artemis, reporting for duty."
There were hugs and greetings all around━Annabeth and I pulled Thalia into the biggest hug we could manage. The other Hunters didn't like being around campers━especially the boys━, but they didn't shoot anyone, which was about the warmest welcome they could ever hold.
"Where have you been the last year?" Percy asked Thalia. "You've got, like, twice as many Hunters now!"
She laughed. "Long, long story. I bet my adventures were more dangerous than yours, Jackson."
"Complete lie."
"We'll see," she promised. "After this is over, you, Annabeth, Claire, Grover and me: cheeseburgers and fries at that hotel on West Fifty-sixth━Grover can eat all the cutlery."
"Le Parker Meridien," Percy said. "You're on. And, Thalia━thanks."
She shrugged. "The monsters won't know what hit them. Hunters, move out!"
With a slap of her silver bracelet, Thalia's shield Aegis spiralled into full form. The golden head of Medusa moulded in the centre was so horrible the campers all backed away. But I grinned, watching her and the Hunters all take off down the avenue, followed by their wolves and falcons.
"Thank the gods," said Annabeth. "But if we don't blockade the rivers from those boats, guarding the bridges and tunnels will be pointless."
"You're right," Percy said.
He looked at all the campers, a sheer expression of determination and confidence. I couldn't help but be welled up with pride. "You're the greatest heroes of this millennium," he told them. "It doesn't matter how many monsters come at you. Fight bravely, and we will win," he raised Riptide and shouted, "FOR OLYMPUS!"
They all shouted in response. I joined them, giving Percy a bright and proud grin. He met my gaze, and managed a small smile back. For a moment, it sounded brave ... but it died quickly in the silence of ten million sleeping mortals.
° ° °
We rode into battle on a Vespa.
Well, not battle battle, more like nearing Madison Square before Annabeth said: "Pull over," and Percy stopped the scooter-bike in the middle of East-Twenty-third. Annabeth jumped off and ran towards the park. By the time Percy and I caught up with her, she was staring at a bronze statue on a red marble pedestal. The man sat on a chair with his legs crossed, wearing a nineteenth century with many bronze books piled under his chair.
"Why do we care about ..." Percy squinted at the name on the pedestal. "William H. Steward?"
"Seward," Annabeth corrected. "He was a New York governor. Minor demigod━son of Hebe, I think. But that's not important. It's the statue I care about."
She climbed on a park bench and examined the base of the statue. Percy watched her, eyes wide. "Don't tell me he's an automaton."
Annabeth smiled, "Turns out most of the statues in the city are automatons. Daedalus planted them here just in case he needed an army."
"To attack Olympus or defend it?"
She shrugged. "Either one. That was plan twenty-three. He could activate one statue and it would start activating its brethen all over the city, until there was an army. It's dangerous, though. You know how unpredictable automatons are."
"Uh━huh," said Percy. We have had our fair share of bad experiences with them. One that ended up in the death of a good friend. "You're seriously thinking about activating it?"
"I have Daedalus's notes," she said. "I think I can ... Ah, here we go."
She pressed the tip of Seward's boot and the statue stood up, its quill and paper ready.
"What's he going to do?" Percy muttered to me. "Take a memo?"
I shushed him while Annabeth said, "Hello, William."
"Bill," Percy suggested.
"Bill━oh, shut up," Annabeth told him. I flicked his hair, and Percy ducked to avoid being hit. The statue tilted his head, looking at us with blank metal eyes.
Annabeth cleared her throat. "Hello━er━Governor Seward. Command sequence: Daedalus Twenty-three. Defend Manhattan. Begin Activation."
Without a word, Seward jumped off his pedestal. He hit the ground so hard, his shoes cracked the sidewalk. Then, he went marching off towards the east.
"He's probably going to wake up Confucius," Annabeth quessed.
"What?"
"Another statue on Division. The point is, they'll keep waking each other up until they're all activated."
"And then?" I asked.
"Hopefully, they defend Manhattan."
"Do they know that we're not the enemy?"
"I think so."
"That's reassuring," Percy murmured.
A ball of green light exploded in the evening sky━Greek fire, somewhere over the East River.
"We have to hurry," said Percy, and we ran for the Vespa.
It was a short trip, because Percy sped most of the way. Luckily all the police officers were asleep so he wouldn't get a ticket for a speeding scooter-bike. We pulled over outside Battery Park, at the lower tip of Manhattan where the Hudson and East Rivers came together before emptying into the Bay.
"Wait here," he told Annabeth and I.
My stomach jolted, and before I could stop myself, I reached out and took his hand. "Percy, you shouldn't go alone."
"Well, unless you can breathe underwater and can finally swim well ..."
I narrowed my eyes. He was right. I didn't like it, but he was right. "Ugh, fine. You're so annnoying sometimes."
"Uh━huh, yep, I'm annoying when I'm right?" he sent me a grin, and I rolled my eyes. "Trust me, I'll be fine. I've got the curse of Achilles now. I'm all invincible and stuff."
I pursed my lips. I didn't like him being so prideful about it. He couldn't do that━that would be his downfall. He had to understand that while the curse of Achillies made in invulnerable, it didn't make him invincible. "Just ... just be carefull, all right? I don't want anything to happen to you━I mean━" I quickly fixed my mistake, letting go of his hand and clearing my throat. Annabeth managed an annoyed sigh at the two of us. "━We don't want anything to happen to you, because we need you for the battle."
Percy grinned, "Back in a flash."
He clambered down the shoreline, and disappeared into the murky water. We waited for him to come back━five minutes, at most. We lost count after that, for Michael had called Annabeth, she put him on loudspeaker so I could hear as well. I didn't realise Percy had come back, instead my stomach twisted with worry over my siblings.
"It worked," he told us. "The rivers are safe."
"Good," I murmured. "Because we've got other problems. Michael━he just called. Another army is marching over the WIlliamsburh Bridge. My━my siblings, they need help. And ... and Percy, the monster leading the army ... it's the Minotaur."
° ° °
Blackjack and his friend Porkpie took us to the bridge. The whole time, there was a knot in my stomach. I hoped they were okay. I couldn't afford to lose someone else. I've already lost two brothers, I couldn't lose another sibling. I may not get along with Michael, but ... but, oh Gods, please be okay...
It was well after midnight now, but the bridge blazed with light. Cars were burning, arcs of fire streamed in both directions as flaming arrows and spears sailed through the air. With one hand holding onto Annabeth's waist, I used the other to take of my necklace and get my bow ready. As we came in for a low past, my stomach dropped as I saw my siblings retreating. They hid behind cars and sniped at the approaching army, setting off explosives and dropping caltrops in the road, building firey barracades wherever they could, dragging sleeping drivers out of their cars to get them out of harm's way. But the enemy kept advancing. An entire phalanx of dracaenae marched in the lead, their shields locked together, spear tips bristling over the top. An occasional arrow would conenect, and they would disintergrate, but most of the arrows glanced harmlessly off their shield wall. About a hundred more monsters marched behind them.
I gritted my teeth, I couldn't do anything at night. My powers wouldn't work when there was no sun. Then I remembered what Hades once told me: the sun and the moon are intertwined, just like there are two sides of the same coin. I closed my eyes and prayed to him, my father and Artemis for help, and I tried to feel the light from the moon and stars around, and was relieved when there was a tug in my gut.
Opening my eyes, I swept my hand to the left, and a line of moonlight knocked the dracanae off their feet with startled yelps. The arrows had a much easier chance of hitting them now. Hellhounds leaped ahead of the line from time to time. I tried to send them astray, and most were destroyed with arrows, but one got ahold of Seamus and dragged him away. My eyes widened━
"No!" I screamed, and tried to get the hellhound off of him with light, but I don't know whether I was too late or not. Porkpie dashed past, and I couldn't see him anymore. "Seamus!"
I saw Jenna get to her feet and run towards him, and I prayed to every god out there that he was still alive━please let my little brother be okay. Jenna and Kylie had come back to fight this Summer after their first semester of college, and they were a great help. But not enough. I don't think I could do that again. Using the opposite side of the sun ... it was much more draining than the other.
"There!" Annabeth called from in front of me, pointing.
Sure enough, in the middle of the invading legion was the Minotaur. From the waist down, he wore standard Greek battle armour━a kilt-like apron of leather and metal flaps, bronze greaves covering his legs and tightly wrapped leather sandles (he just has gotta hope no arrow gets him in the foot). His top half was all bull━hair, hide and muscle, leading to a head, you would think he'd topple over just by the weight of his horns. A double-bladed axe was strapped to his back, but as soon as he saw Percy circling overhead, he bellowed and picked up a white limousine.
"Blackjack, dive!" Percy yelled.
We were at least thirty metres up, but the limo came sailing towards us anyway, flipping over and over. Holding onto Annabeth, I tried not to let out a cowardly scream as Porkpie swerved madly to the left, while Blackjack tucked his wings and plinged. The limo sailed over our heads, missing Percy's by at least five centimetres. It cleared the suspension lines on the bridge and fell towards the East River. Monsters jeered and shouted, and the Minotaur picked up another.
"Drop us behind the lines of the Apollo cabin," Percy told Blackjack and Porkpie. "Stay in earshot, but get out of danger!"
Blackjack and Porkpie swooped down behind an overturned school bus where a couple of my siblings were hiding: Dean, Michael and Kylie. Annabeth, Percy and I leaped off as soon as our pegasi's hooves touched the pavement. Then Blackjack and Porkpie soared into the night sky.
Michael ran up to us, and I quickly tackled him into a hug. "Oh, thank the Gods you're okay!"
He pulled away, "Yeah, thanks. You too." He had a bandaged cut on his arm, his face was smeared with soot, and his quiver was almost empty, but he was smiling like he was having a great time (the usual).
"Glad you could join us, Claire," he said. "Where are the other reinforcements?"
"For now, we're it," said Percy.
"Then we're dead."
"You still have your flying chariot?" asked Annabeth.
"Nah," said Michael. "Left it at camp. I told Clarisse she could have it. You ... you were right, Claire, it's not worth fighting about anymore. But she said it was too late. We'd insulted her honour for the last time or some stupid thing."
"Hey," I put my hand on my brother's shoulder. "At least you tried, okay?"
Michael shrugged. "Yeah, well, I called her some names when she said she still wouldn't fight. I doubt that helped. What about you━don't you have access to dad's chariot or something?"
"He's using it fighting Typhon, I think," I said. "And even if he wasn't, it's far too dark to summon it. I'll be completely drained━oh, watch out━!"
Some monsters were coming. Together, Michael and I drew an arrow━both of us got sonic ones━and launched them towards the enemy. The arrows made screaming sounds as they flew, and when they landed, it unleased a blast like a power chord on an electric guitar magnified through the world's largest speakers. The nearest cars exploded. Monsters dropped their weapons and clasped their ears in pain. Some ran. Others distintergreated on the spot."
"That's my last sonic arrow," mumbled Michael, annoyed.
"Here," I reached into my quiver, and pulled out another five. I handed them over. "Use them wisely, dumbass."
"A gift from your dad?" Percy asked. "God of music?"
I gave him a grin and shrugged. "I mean ... it helps. Loud music can be bad for you. Unfortunately, it doesn't alway kill."
Sure enough, most monsters were regrouping, shaking off their confusion.
"We have to fall back," Michael said. "I've got Kayla and Austin setting traps further down the bridge."
I stared at him, "Little Kayla? Michael, she's far too young!"
"Better off than having her here━"
"She should have stayed at camp━"
"━she's twelve! You were fighting when you were twelve!"
"Bring your campers forward to this position," Percy stopped both of us, "and wait for my signal. We're going to drive the enemy back to Brooklyn."
Michael laughed. "How do you plan to do that?"
Percy just drew his sword. I knew what he was going to do, and I didn't like it. I don't know where his weak spot is, but just one knick━
"Let me come with you," I told him, but he shook his head.
"Too dangerous," he said. "Besides, I need you and Annabeth to help Michael coordinate the defensive line. I'll distract the monsters. You group up here. Work with your siblings, move the sleeping mortals out of the way. Then you can start picking off monsters while I keep them focused on me. If anybody can do all that, you can."
Michael snorted. "Thanks a lot."
But Percy just kept his eyes on me. I didn't want him to go out there alone, but he was right. So, reluctantly, I nodded. "Get moving, water boy."
He nodded, but another thought crossed his mind. Grinning at me, he said, "Don't I get a kiss for luck? Didn't we decide on it becoming kind of a tradition, right?"
I burned bright red, seeing the look on Michael's face like he was front-row seat to the best show of all time. My other siblings behind the school bus━despite the chaos around us━shared whispers, highfives and mutters of, "Ha! I'll take five drachma's thanks━", "━what? No! I used all mine up on Olympus for the binoculars━Kylie! Give me five drachmas━"; "━Uh, no, you owe me five, too, Dean!"
But, soon, I decided to ignore them. Who cares. I smiled at Percy and drew another arrow. "And didn't I say last time you have to come back first, Seaweed Brain, and then we'll see?"
"But I did come back."
I narrowed my eyes, "Well, then, come back again, you goose. Keep yourself alive."
He rolled his eyes, but there was a smile on his face. With that said, he took a deep breath and stepped out from behind the school bus. He walked up the bridge in plain sight, straight towards the army.
Percy fought like a beast. He took on the Minotaur one on one, slicing and jabbing with a crazed and sporadic style. With ease, Percy sliced his axe in half, right between the handholds. With a laugh, he spun and kicked him in the snout. The Minotaur staggered backwards, trying to regain his footing, then lowered his head to charge. But Percy just leapt upwards and sliced off one horn, and then the other. He tried to grab him, but he rolled away, picking up half of his broken axe. Seeing Percy like this ... I don't know what to think. I always knew he was an amazing fighter, but the curse of Achilles was getting to his head, making him reckless, making him vain in his abilities ... making him dangerous and scary.
The Minotaur charged at him, and Percy ran for the edge of the bridge, breaking through a line of dracaenae. At the edge of the bridge, Percy turned and braced the ae against the railing to recieve his charge. The Minotaur didn't even slow down━Crunch! He looked down in surprise at the axe handle sprouting from his breastplate.
"Thanks for playing," said Percy, before he lifted him by his legs and tossed him over the side of the bridge, disintegrating as he fell.
Percy turned back to the army, and charged at the hundred lot of them━and I didn't know whether to be scared, amazed, or like: that's my bo━I mean━friend that I like!
All the while, Annabeth, Michael and I ordered the defense lines. We got the remaining mortals away from the danger━Annabeth took control of that line, taking Kayla and Jenna with her who had said that Seamus will hopefully live, which gave me a burst of confidence. Arriving on Porkpie, suddenly was Cain. He jumped into the battle even before he hit the ground, he was hovering and causing some hellhounds to screech and jump right off the bridge, turning to dust. He then raced to Annabeth, helping her out and taking down any monsters that came close to them. I ordered my remaining siblings━who were all primarily archers━to help out Percy, disrupting every attempt by the enemy to rally. He continued to fight, slashing, stabbing, whirling and laughing━once or twice━a crazy laugh that scared us much as it did our enemies. Finally the monsters turned fled━about twenty left alive out of two hundred.
"YES!" yelled Michael as we followed Percy. "That's what I'm talking about!"
We drove them back towards the Brooklyn side of the bridge, and the sky was growing pale in the east. But I knew we couldn't go any further. I didn't need to be a child of Athena to know that wasn't wise.
"Percy!" I yelled at him. "You've already routed them. Pull back! We're overextended!"
He stopped, but I don't think he wanted to listen. I think Percy liked killing all of those monsters. But then, we saw the crowd at the base of the bridge. The retreating monsters were running straight towards their reinforcements. It was a small group, perhaps thirty or fourty demigods in battle armour, mounted on skeletal horses. One of them held a purple banner, embelling the black scythe design. The lead horseman trotted foreward. He took off his helm and I saw Luke, but it wasn't Luke. It was Kronos, with his eyes like molten gold.
My breath hitched, and our line faltered. The monsters reached the Titan's line and were absorbed into the new force. Kronos gazed in our direction, and while he was far away, I thought he smiled.
"Now," Percy said, "we pull back."
The Titan lord's men drew their swords and charged. The hooves of their skeletal horses thundered against the pavement. My siblings and I, we shot a valley, bring several down, but they just kept on coming.
"Retreat!" Percy yelled. "I'll hold them!"
I wouldn't let him fight them by himself. Not this time. I won't let him get lost in his head. I won't let him lose himself. I'm staying by his side. Through and through. Annabeth pulled Cain back to get the rest of my siblings off the bridge, not eager to leave me, but I told her to go as we slowly backed up the bridge.
Kronos's cavalry swirled around us, slashing and yelling insults. The Titan Lord in Luke's body advanced leisurely, like he had all the time in the world. I used my dagger, not my bow for this close range fighting. As the night was getting closer to dawn, it was easier to start using my powers again, and I blocked hits of weapons with shields of light. I didn't want to kill these men━they were demigods like me. I couldn't kill them. Percy and I stayed shoulder to shoulder, facing opposite directions. A dark shape passed over us━Blackjack and Porkpie; they swooped in, kicking the enemies helmets and flying away like they were large kamikaze prigeons.
We had almsost made it to the middle of the bridge when out of the corner of my eye, I saw someone raise their knife towards Percy's back. My legs jolted, and even before I could think that he probably would have been fine if he was hit, I intercepted. I don't know why. I just━I had this feeling, like he was in danger. Like something was crawling up my neck, making my hairs stick on end━and I just moved before I could think.
Feeling the blade dig into my arm, I let out a cry of pain. It flared immediately, like a bomb just blew up in my arm━up to my shoulder and down to my fingers. "Claire!" I heard Percy shout, turning just in time as I fell down, unable to stay standing any longer. I clutched my arm, blinking away tears━it hurt, it hurt so bad.
Percy locked eyes with the demigod, and with a growl he slammed him in the face with his sword hilt so hard it dented his helm. "GET BACK!" he slashed the air in a wide arc, standing over me, driving the rest of the demigods away. "No one touches her!"
I was in too much pain to even think to be flattered by what he said, or that he stood in an army, making sure that none of them even came near enough to lay another finger on my body. I could feel wet blood against my fingers, and I whimpered in my attempts to stop crying out of pain.
"Interesting," said Kronos.
He towered over us on his skeletal horse, his scythe in one hand. Luke━no, Kronos━studied the scene with narrowed eyes. "Bravely fought, Percy Jackson," he said. "But it's time to surrender━or the girl dies."
"Percy, don't!" I said. His loyalty was his fatal flaw. I don't want that to stop us.
He glanced down at me, and his jaw set. "Blackjack!" he yelled.
Before I could say anything, the pegasus swooped in━as fas as light━and clamped his teeth on the straps of my armour. He pulled me up into the air, and the last thing I remembered before I fell unconscious was seeing Percy alone in the midst of an army, Kronos standing right over him.
*
a/n: there is most definitely some mistakes. I think we've all just accepted it at this point 😂😂😂
But also, fricken hell claire! I know u save percy but u have to fight typhon!!! u can't do that with a messed up shoulder!!!!