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chapter forty-four
( the last olympian )
❝ family, luke! ❞
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We were too late.
The ground was littered with wounded Campers and Hunters. Clarisse lost a fight with a Hyperborean giant because she and her chariot were stuck in a frozen block of ice. The centaurs were nowhere to be seen━either having panicked and ran, or killed and fallen to nothing but dust. The Titan army ringed the whole building, standing perhaps ten metres at the very least from the doors. The Time Lord's vanguard was in the lead, Ethan Nakamura amongst them, and Kronos himself stood right in front of them all, his scythe in his hand.
There was only one person in his way.
I felt my knees buckle. "Chiron..."
If he had heard us, he didn't answer. He stood his ground, an arrow notched right straight at Kronos's face━the face of Luke. As soon as the titan saw Percy, his gold eyes flared.
"Step aside, little son," he snarled at Chiron, and it was strange to see Luke talk to Chiron in such a way━with such contempt in his voice, like son was the worst insult there ever was.
"I'm afriad not," Chiron's voice was calm, not even wavering━he was really angry.
I tried to move, but it was like my blood froze━my feet wouldn't budge, nor would my hands. I was stuck. Glancing at Annabeth, Thalia, Grover and Percy, they seemed to be straining too, like they were just as stuck as I was.
"Chiron!" Annabeth cried. "Look out!"
The dracaena queen━who was amongst the vanguard━had grown impatient. She charged, but Chiron's arrow flew straight between her eyes, vaporising her before she could even get a step further. He reached for another arrow, but found his quiver empty. With a grit of his teeth, he dropped his bow and drew his sword. He hated fighting with a sword.
Kronos chuckled. He advanced a step and Chiron's horse half skittered nervously━his tail flickered back and forth. I tried to move again, and wanted to scream when my legs wouldn't budge at all.
"You're a teacher," sneered the Titan Lord. "Not a hero."
"Luke was a hero," said Chiron. "He was a good one, until you corrupted him."
"FOOL!" his voice shook the entire city. "You filled his head with empty promises. You said the gods cared about me!"
My breath hitched. I glanced at the others, wondering whether they heard the same thing as I did.
"Me," Chiron noticed, frowning. "You said me."
In the confusion that followed, Chiron striked. With a quick feit, he swiped his sword up at Kronos's face, but the titan had Luke's fighting skill, and knocked aside Chiron's blade. He yelled, "BACK!"
A blinding light exploded between the Titan and the centaur. Chiron flew into the side of the building with such force the wall crumbled and collapsed ontop of him.
"NO!" Annabeth and I screamed. The freezing spell broke, and we could run. We sprinted towards out teacher, but there was no sign of him. Desperate, we tried to pull at the bricks, and I pushed back the sob forming in my throat. I can't lose Chiron. I can't lose him━I can't━
Ugly laughter rippled through the Titan's army.
Annabeth tensed. Like someone had flicked a switch, she turned livid and spun onto Kronos. "YOU!" she screamed. "To think that I━that I thought━"
She drew her knife.
"Annabeth, don't━" Percy tried to take her arm, but she shook him off.
She attacked Kronos, and his smug smile faded. I watched, as if frozen again as Annabeth fought like a Spartan Warrior━with absolutely no mercy. She plunged her knife in between the straps of Luke's armour, right at his collarbone. The blade should've sunk into his chest, but it bounced off. Annabeth doubled over, clutching her arm to her arm━the jolt might've been enough to dislocate her shoulder.
Percy and I jumped into action. While he yanked her back as Kronos swung his scythe, I mustered as much power as I could to block the strike with a blast of light. I saw a flicker of hesitation in Kronos's gold eyes in Luke's body; for a second, they seemed to return back to their icy blue━like he was still in there, but it disappeared as soon as it came, and he pushed down harder on my barrier. I gritted my teeth as my bad shoulder started to hurt.
Annabeth fought and screamed, "I HATE YOU!" I wasn't sure who she was talking to━Percy, Luke or Kronos.
"Claire!" I heard Percy shouted. "Get out of there!"
I'm trying! I resited the urge to shout back. But it gave me a spark of motivation to move this along. Kronos grinned down at me as I bended back lower and lower. My stomach boiled with the fury of the sun━he was going to get what was coming to him. I tilted my head, surging at the power from within up through by fingers in a flash of light that burst forth and sent him off balance. He stumbled, but soon regained enough strength to come back with another strike but I was ready. With a yell, I threw my other hand towards him, blasting him back into the lines of the vanguard, disorientating them.
Kronos chuckled at me, and hearing Luke's voice sent chills down my spine. "The Light's Kin," he jeered. "I missed our talks, truly."
"I didn't," I said.
He laughed, "So much spirit," eyes flickering between me and Annabeth, they were amused. "I can see why Luke wanted to spare the both of you. Unfortunately, that won't be possible, you lost your chance."
He raised his scythe. I took a deep breath, drawing more light. Percy got ready to defend, shouting for me to get back, but I don't think I would have if given the chance. Seeing Luke in front of me━even if Kronos had taken over him━, after everything, made me so angry I wanted to scream and throw everything I had. It didn't matter how exhausted it made me.
But before Kronos could strike, a dog's howl pierced the air somewhere behind the Titans' army, "AROOOOOOOOOOO!"
Percy frowned. "Mrs O'Leary?"
An uneasiness stirred in the enemy forces before 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 entire centre of Fifth Avenue, and standing in front of the block was Mrs O'Leary and a small figure in black armour.
Percy's eyes widened, "Nico?" he called.
Mrs O'Leary bounded towards us with a great big roar of excitement at the sight of Percy, ignoring the growling monsters on either side. Nico strode forward, a boy shrouded in the shadows that took away the light. The enemy fell back before him like he radiated death (which, of course, he did).
Through the faceguard of his skull-shaped helmet, he smiled. "Got your message. Is it too late to join the party?"
"Son of Hades," Kronos spat on the ground. "Do you love death so much you wish to experience it?"
"You're death," said Nico, "would be great for me."
"I'm immortal, you fool! I've escaped Tartarus. You have no business here, and no chance to live."
Nico didn't waver. He just drew his sword━a whole blade of Stygian iron like my arrow tips; black as a nightmare. He stood beside me in front of Kronos, and for a moment, there was a familiarity between us━a connection between the god that gave us those items. Hades was his father, but he was also my patron, and a ficker in my chest made me wonder ... was that the same thing?
"I don't agree," snarled Nico, and the whole ground rumbled. Cracks appeared in the road, the swidewalks and the sides of the buildings. I gasped, startled to see skeletal hands grasp the air as the dead crawled from the depths to the living; thousands of them, sending the monsters backing away━
"NO!" cried Kronos. "HOLD YOUR GROUND! The dead are no match for us!"
Around us, the sky turned dark and cold; the shadows thickened to the point they may as well be solid, and over it, a harsh war horn sounded, echoing across New York. The dead soldiers formed ranks with their guns, swords and spears, and an enormous chariot roared down Fifth Avenue. It came to a stop before us; drawn by steeds made of living shadows. The chaiot itself was inlaid with obsidian and gold, decorated with scenes of pain death━women screaming at the stake, bodies hanging from trees .... Holding the reins was Hades, Lord of the Dead with Dememter and Persephone riding behind him.
Hades smiled with a breath of cool air at Kronos, "Hello, Father. You're looking ... young."
"Hades," the Lord of Time growled. "I hope you an the ladies have come to pledge your allegience."
"I'm afriad not," Hades sighed. "My son here convinced me that perhaps I should prioritise my list of enemies," he glanced at Percy with distaste. "As much as I dislike certain upstart demigods, it would not do for Olympus to fall. I would miss bickering with my siblings. And if there is one thing we agree on━is that you were a terrible father."
"True," muttered Demeter. "No appreciation of agriculture."
"Mother!" cried Persephone.
Hades drew his sword, a double-edged Stygian blade, "And you, child━" his gaze landed on me. "It is time for you to go. Do what you must, end this."
My heart piqued with fear as I realised what he meant. I took a deep breath━and as if knowing what was happening, I could feel the sudden wind towards the Hudson River ... Typhon's anger calling.
Kronos laughed. "She's mortal, she cannot defeat him."
"That is exactly why she will defeat him," said Hades and there was a flicker of fear in Kronos's gaze. It gave me a fresh surge of bravery. "Go, Claire Moore. Now, before it is too late."
I glanced back at Percy, and he nodded, as if knowing exactly how I felt. I didn't want to leave them, not now when they needed me more than ever; but I had to help from somewhere else. He was letting me know it was okay; that they'll be okay.
With a deep breath, I nodded to Hades, and he held out his hand. Kronos realised, and shouted to his men, "STOP THEM!" but the army were far to scared of the dead that surrounded us. I reached out, grasped his palm, and was shrouded in the night. I heard souls screaming, but they didn't scare me━not like they used to.
They grew louder, until the rest of New York disappeared aorund me, and I was gone.
° ° °
When everything materialised around me, I was falling through the sky. What? This seemed stupid. After everything I've gone through, everything I was supposed to do, everything I can do, was I just about to die from falling? I let out a scream, not realising all the gods and Typhon had stopped fighting to stare at me in bewilderment as I propelled down past them.
(I wouldn't put it past the Fates, to be honest. Old hags).
However, I wasn't going to let that happen. With a grit of my teeth, I felt the heat of the sun above, and I projected enough power to keep myself in the air. The water steamed as the light touched it, and I shot back up in a flow of sunlight. My shoulder screamed, but I ignored it, flicking my hair out of my face and regaining my bearings.
My knees quivered.
I stood━well floated━right in front of Typhon. Even this close, I couldn't see his face. His figure was shrouded in a storm that made me stumble in my stance, blowing me back with such ferosity it took almost everything in me to keep my ground. It was one thing to see him through Iris Messages and in dreams, but to stand here in front of him ... I wondered whether hitting the water and dying would have been a better choice.
I heard a whoop behind me. Frowning, I glanced back and saw my father give me a thumbs up amongst all of the gods glares.
(Well, at least one won't blow me to dust).
Zeus was beyond livid. "Claire Moore!" he bellowed over the wind. "Leave now, or I will blow you to oblivion! I will not give you another chance!"
I gritted my teeth. Knowing my words will most likely get me killed as well, I shouted back, "No! You need me to defeat him━but you won't admit it!"
"You think you━a mortal━have a chance against Typhon?!"
I turned back to the monster. I was all but an ant compared to his size. He could easily squash me in a mighty fist, but I had the element of shock━he was still trying to comprehend what had just happened.
"That's why I have a chance," I said. I don't think the others heard me, but that didn't matter. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath and prayed to Poseidon, hoping that he would come to help. Opening them back up, I pushed myself up to eye-level with Typhon━at least, what I think were his eyes. "All right, big boy ..." I murmured, and started to draw as much sun as I could. "Let's do this ..."
Typhon just laughed at me. The wind blew me back again. I held my arm up, trying to block it. He was yet to hit me━and I think it was because he was curious. For how could a demigod defeat a titan such as him? The most monstrous monster in all of mythology.
With a yell, I threw a burst of sun at him. It exploded at the fog of his storm, and there was a breath of silence in surprise as it shot right through, bursting out with beams that seemed to break away the storm he held━even if for a few seconds.
He was surprised. I took the chance before he could take me out in one blow. Using both hands this time, I pulled the sunlight down onto him from above, and it knocked him back━the storm dispersed and I sent a second shot in the already weakened clouds and lightning. Typhon yelled in a mix of thunder, as if I hurt him.
Those blasts took a lot out of me. I tried to stay conscious━I was beyond exhausted from the past few days of fighting non-stop. But I couldn't let that overcome me. Typhon bellowed in his fury, and I gasped. Holding my arms up, my barricade of sunlight only came just in time to stop the storm of lightning that cascaded down. They kept coming, with no break. I felt my heart racing, my shoulder was exceeding pain━I don't know what number of strikes this was, but they seemed to just keep getting worse and stronger. They pushed me back and down. My stomach jolted to see my barricade start to crack.
I was beginning to fall; I extended the barrier with a scream.
This is it ...
They lied to me, I couldn't do this ...
The light started to chip away, and these lightning strikes weren't shortening━
They flickered.
I frowned.
They flickered again, and seemed to stop for a second. It gave me a moment to glimpse what had happened. My eyes widened, my breath fell away━volleys of arrows, bright with golden sun, flew towards Typhon, catching him off guard. My father's arrows.
He was helping me. My father. He was going against Zeus's orders to help me, just his mortal child.
My heart filled with a new breath of courage. I pushed against Typhon's power. It hurt, I was exhausted, but I ignored it all. With a yell of defiance, I extended the barrier out from around me and sent it━like a wall against the lighting strikes back to Typhon. My limbs shook from the weight. I kept the wall going. Typhon faltered, his storm falling away. I couldn't see his face, but I had a feeling━with sick triumph in my chest━that he was scared.
The wall of light was so big now that it stood as tall as Typhon himself, and as wide. The water parted at his feet as he was pushed back further and further, and my yells grew louder and louder. Keep going, keep going, come on, come on, COME ON━!
A saviour arrived━just when I thought I couldn't keep it going on for any longer. The water boiled at Typhon's feet, and I grinned. Yes, thank you! Concentrating, I lifted the wall to wrap over and push down. Typhon fell to his knees, the storm of his very being flattening. The water parted━more than before, and, in seconds, a wave as tall as the tallest skyscraper in the word erupted from the river. It towered over Typhon and fell down, wrapping him up. I heard his shouts and his screams, bursts of lightning in anger flickering through the water ... but then the wave pushed him right down under the surface ...
And he didn't come back up.
I let go, and wanted to buckle. But I wouldn't let myself. I stared at where he had been, the sky darkening around me as the light faded away. I ... I did it ... I was so surprised, I didn't realise that he was actually gone for a few seconds.
But even now, when I should be thinking about myself, my thoughts flew back to my friends in Manhattan. To Percy. Was he still alive? Did they hold back Kronos? So what if Typhon was defeated ... even if the world was collapsing around me, all that mattered to me was to be sure that he was alive.
When my father made his way towards me, cheering and clapping his hands despite the fury Zeus held, I didn't even listen to his praise (which was new, because I used to live for wanting to hear my father congragulate me). I cut him off mid sentence━
"Percy," I said, breathless. He frowned at me, if not a little offended by my priorities. "Is he okay? Are they all okay━are they still alive?"
Miffed, Apollo crossed his arms. "Well, if everything went right, I would assume so━"
"Take me back," I held out my hand eagerly. "I need to get back to them. I have to get back."
"Child, you just did all of that━" he gestured to where Typhon had been, "━take a moment━"
"Take me back, please," I must sound so pitiful, begging to Apollo to take me back to my friends. To Percy. But in reality, they were all that mattered to me. Not Typhon, not my powers. Them; my family.
My father sighed. But he nodded. He took my hand, I closed my eyes, there was a flash of light━
I didn't open them until my feet touched marble ground. When I did, I almost collasped.
Immediately, there were familiar arms to grab me.
"Hey, hey," his voice made me slump, relieved. He was alive. "Hey, you did it ... you're okay ..."
Percy pulled me up, keeping me on my feet as the exhaustion finally hit me. While I was bloodied and bruised, he was perfectly fine; not a scratch on his skin. I think I was in the throne room at Olympus, but all I think I really cared about was that Percy was here, and he was holding me, and he was okay, and I was okay, and we were okay.
But then a voice cracked, "Claire ..." and the world around me hit.
I looked over, and I saw it. Annabeth and Grover knelt next to a body. A long, lanky body with sandy blonde hair and a scar down one side of his face. His left side was entirely bloody, but his eyes ... they met mine, and they were blue, just the way they used to be.
"Luke ..." I breathed.
Percy wrapped my good arm over his shoulders, and keeping a strong grip to my waist, he helped me over. We knelt down next to Luke's frail body, and he gave me a strained smile.
"What happened?" I reached out for his shaking hand, my fingers touching his fingertips.
"Luke stopped Kronos," Annabeth said through her tears. "He used my knife and he━he━" I realised. My breath hitched and my gaze flickered to his bloodied side.
Like a chime in the back of my mind, my fathers words from what seemed like years ago whispered, Claire, know this now, the prophecy isn't about Thalia, nor is it about Percy. They aren't the hero the prophecy talks about.
The hero had been Luke━the entire time. It was his choice ... Olympus to preserve or raze. I felt a sob rake up through my body. Tears filled my eyes and I took a deep breath, shaking my head. "Luke ..."
He gave me another weak smile. His fingers against mine tightened, grasping on with the little strength he had left. "You did it ..." he coughed, his lips glistening red. "I knew ... I knew you could do it, Claire━you could always do it ..."
I sniffled, the tears falling. "You━" my voice cracked. "You can get through this, Luke. We'll ... we'll find a way ..."
He just shook his head. Meeting my gaze, his voice rattled as he asked his next question. Soft, gentle, "Claire, did you ..." he coughed again, fingers starting to slip. "Did you love me?"
The question startled me, and I didn't know what to say. My first thought got stuck in my throat, and I glanced at Percy beside me. He looked at me like he was drinking in the fact that I was still here, and I realised I was doing the same thing. The word was collapsing around us, yes, but really, the only thing that mattered to me was that he was alive.
I turned back to Luke and wiped away my tears. "You were like a brother to me, Luke," I said softly. "But I didn't love you."
He nodded, as if he had expected it. He winced in pain.
"We can get ambrosia," said Grover. "We can━"
"Grover," Luke gulped. "You're the bravest satyr I ever knew. But, no. There's no healing ..." another cough. Annabeth gripped her hold on Grover's hand tighter, choking back a sob.
Luke gripped Percy's sleeve. "Ethan. Me," he managed. "All the unclaimed. Don't let it ... Don't let it happen again."
His eyes were angry, but they were pleading, also. Desperate, even.
"I won't," Percy said. "I promise."
Luke nodded, and his hand went slack.
Annabeth broke. She sobbed, her fingers reaching for Luke's, knowing he was gone. Percy set his jaw, holding me closer and I leant in to him. Setting my head against his shoulder, I closed my eyes; tears traced my cheeks.
The gods arrived a few minutes later in their full war regalia, thundering into the throne room and expecting a battle. What they found instead was Annabeth, Grover, Percy and me standing over the body of a broken half-blood, in the dim warm light of the hearth.
"Percy," Poseidon called, awe in his voice. "What ... what is this?"
Percy checked to see whether I could hold my own. I nodded and he let go. Standing up, he turned and faced the Olympians. "We need a shroud," he announced, his voice cracking.
"A shroud for the son of Hermes."
° ° °
a/n: ngl, i feel like i didn't write the claire and typhon showdown to the justice i wanted ... dammit.
but oH mY GODS.
WE'RE GETTING CLOSER AND CLOSER TO THE END OF THE FIRST SERIES I'M NOT READY I'M NOT READY AT ALL FUCKKK LUKKKEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.