Prophesied Powder, PJO

5.9

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Chapter 54
The Eternal City

Volume 5: The Last Olympian

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When they reached the street, Manhattan was in shambles. Campers and Hunters alike littered the ground, covered in wounds. According to Percy, Clarisse was frozen solid in a block of ice. The centaurs had completely vanished - disintegrated or ran away, Pat wasn't sure.

"Shit," Greg swallowed, a loud sign of fear.

Pat unsheathed Farrah's sword and tightened his grip on it. Twenty feet from the doors rested an army intent on killing them and their parents. Right in front of them, Kronos had his scythe in his hands.

"Chiron," Annabeth said, her voice trembling.

The old centaur stood between Kronos and the entrance to Olympus, with one arrow notched on his bow, aimed straight at Kronos' face. Once they were on the street, even without being sure, Pat thought Kronos had noticed them; a chill ran through his body that felt like the dead stare of an egomaniacal titan.

"Step aside, little son." Kronos spoke to Chiron. Hearing Luke call Chiron his son was weird enough, but Kronos put contempt in his voice, like son was the worst word he could think of.

"I'm afraid not." Chiron's tone was steely calm, the way he gets when he's really angry.

Pat tried to take a step forward, but his feet felt like concrete. At first, he wondered if it was fear, but no matter how hard he tried, moving becoming impossible. If it was happening to him, then he were sure the others were stuck in place too.

"Chiron!" Annabeth said. "Look out!"

The hissing and slithering of the dracaena was evident; the snake woman had charged Chiron. He easily disposed of him, her empty armor clattering to the asphalt when she vaporized. There was a clattering sound that made Pat wrinkle his nose - Chiron's bow had been discarded onto the floor, and the centaur had drawn his sword. Chiron hated fighting with a sword.

Kronos chuckled. He advanced a step, and Chiron's horse-half skittered nervously. His tail flicked back and forth.

"You're a teacher," Kronos sneered. "Not a hero."

"Luke was a hero," Chiron said. "He was a good one, until you corrupted him."

"FOOL!" Kronos's voice shook the city. "You filled his head with empty promises. You said the gods cared about me!"

"Me," Chiron noticed. "You said me."

Kronos paused in confusion, and in that moment, Chiron struck. There was a short clash of swords that made Pat's chest tighten, before Kronos yelled, "BACK!"

An explosion rang out, and Chiron flew into the side of the building - which, from Pat's experience, was not fun, or easy to survive unscathed. It was worse for Chiron, since when he hit the wall of the building, it collapsed on top of him.

"No!" Annabeth wailed. The freezing spell broke, to their horror.

The demigods all charged for the building, but a tight grip caught Pat's arm, yanking him back in front of the door. Delicate fingers; piano player. "Greg, stop it," Pat tried to claw his hand off, tugging him toward Chiron.

He heard his friends pull helplessly at the bricks as they looked for Chiron. Kronos' army laughed, an ugly sound.

"Please," Greg was quiet, frozen, and afraid. He couldn't move, and he didn't know Chiron, didn't want to run to save the centaur - but he didn't want to be alone, not with Kronos so close.