𝒊𝒊𝒊. 𝐋𝐎𝐘𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐈𝐄𝐒

𝒙𝒗.

The horrible thing was: Percy could see the family resemblance. Atlas had the same regal expression as Zoë, the same cold proud look in his eyes that Zoë sometimes got when she was mad, though on him it looked a thousand times more evil. He was all the things Percy had originally disliked about Zoë, with none of the good he'd come to appreciate. 

"Let Artemis go," Zoë demanded. 

Atlas walked closer to the chained goddess. "Perhaps you'd like to take the sky for her, then? Be my guest." 

Zoë opened her mouth to speak, but Artemis said, "No! Do not offer, Zoë! I forbid you."

Noelle strode along with Atlas as he smirked crookedly. It seemed everyone but the Titan had now noticed the small feline. As he knelt down and reached to touch Artemis's face, the cat pounced and sunk her teeth into the Titan's finger.

Noelle felt the small amount of ichor that leaked from his finger burn her tongue, but Atlas didn't appear too bothered. He simply lifted his hand towards him, lifting Noelle off the ground and prying her off his finger. He held her in his large hands looking at her quizzically.

"Is this one of your wild animals coming to protect you?" Atlas asked Artemis.

Artemis, the only one knowing it was Noelle, shook her head. "Must be a stray."

"She is rather cute," Atlas pointed out, making Noelle cringe. "Perhaps I'll keep her as a pet. A trusty sidekick for when the Titans rule the earth."

Everyone, even Luke, watched Atlas with confusion as he pet the small cat. He put Noelle on his shoulder and strode back over to stand in front of Luke and the dracaenae. Noelle played the obedient pet and sat on his shoulder waiting patiently.

Percy looked at Annabeth. She was desperately trying to tell him something, seemingly getting over the shock of seeing a Titan gently pet a cat. She motioned her head toward Luke. But all Percy could do was stare at her. He hadn't noticed before, but something about her had changed. Her blond hair was now streaked with gray. 

"From holding the sky," Thalia muttered, as if she'd read his mind. "The weight should've killed her." 

"I don't understand," he said. "Why can't Artemis just let go of the sky?"

Atlas laughed. "How little you understand, young one. This is the point where the sky and the earth first met, where Ouranos and Gaia first brought forth their mighty children, the Titans. The sky still yearns to embrace the earth. Someone must hold it at bay, or else it would crush down upon this place, instantly flattening the mountain and everything within a hundred leagues. Once you have taken the burden, there is no escape." Atlas smiled. "Unless someone else takes it from you."

He approached the two half-bloods, studying them. "So these are the best heroes of the age, eh? Not much of a challenge."

"Fight us," Percy said. "And let's see." 

"Have the gods taught you nothing? An immortal does not fight a mere mortal directly. It is beneath our dignity. I will have Luke crush you instead." 

"So you're another coward," Percy taunted. 

Atlas's eyes glowed with hatred. With difficulty, he turned his attention to Thalia. 

"As for you, daughter of Zeus, it seems Luke was wrong about you." 

"I wasn't wrong," Luke managed. He looked terribly weak, and he spoke every word as if it were painful. If Noelle didn't hate his guts so much, she almost would've felt sorry for him. "Thalia, you still can join us. Call the Ophiotaurus. It will come to you. Look!"