Percy Jackson: The Knight of Chaos

Separation

Everything slipped into a timeless, slow-motion blur as Hazel's lifeless body fell to the earth.

"No!" Nico screamed, full of fury, torment and despair. His Stygian iron sword dropped from his grip, forgotten, as he ran to his sister. "No!"

I watched soundlessly. I thought back to the Titan War, when Kronos's scythe had bitten into my skin. I remembered the agonizing pain that had weakened me, almost to the point where I had considered begging Hades for the gentle relief of death. That pain was nothing compared to what I felt now, as Hazel took her last breaths. Weakly, she caressed one hand softly against Nico's cheek, mouthing the words "Goodbye, brother," before closing her eyes for the final time.

But the dragon Ladon was not to be ignored. Jason, the hero he always was, had quickly pushed past his grief and was defending Nico from the monster, as the son of Hades mourned his lost sister. His sword shifted in length to a spear as he thrusted it through the chinks of the dragon's scales. Ladon howled, more annoyed than wounded. Shaking myself from my stunned state, I drew Riptide once more and joined Jason in the fight.

His claws, still dripping with Hazel's blood, caught my sword arm and dug into the recently healed scars from my ambush only two days prior. Ladon threw me against a tree, the crushing impact spotting black dots that danced in my eyes. I could feel the evergreen tree snap with a deadly crack at the spot where I'd hit it, and suddenly the tree came crashing down onto me. I held up my hands to protect my face, but miraculously the log missed my body. It landed only inches away from me, the sharp bristles scratching my arms and legs. Quickly, I rolled out of the tree's branches, but soon found that any attempt at pushing myself up proved to be futile as my head winced with such an intensity I slipped in and out of consciousness. Moaning under my breath, I forced my body to look past the injuries and stumbled over to Jason.

Glancing back, his eyes widened at my state. "Nico!" He shouted, "Get Percy out of here!"

"No," I mumbled, barely aware of what was going on, "Jason, come .... with."

"I'll be fine," Jason promised. Not two seconds later, he was on the ground after Ladon swiped his bloody claws at Jason's legs.

"We need to get out of here!" Nico yelled at both of us. "I don't know where the Hesperides are, but without them here, Ladon can't be stopped."

"Then get us out of here!" Jason replied as he abandoned the fight with Ladon. The dragon howled in anger as the son of Jupiter swung his arm under my shoulder, helping me up. I found my footing as Nico grabbed both of our hands, and I could feel the shadows pulling us into their realm to shadow-travel away, when everything went terribly wrong.

Two crooked dragon's claws appeared at Jason and Nico's shoulders, ripping them out of my hands.

Dark, whispering tendrils of gloom filled my vision.

Jason and Nico were flung across the forest, landing with a thump too far away for me to reach.

My body began to dissipate into translucent shades.

Ladon pounced on the two demigods.

I was made of dust and shadows.