LABYRINTH ✵ percy jackson

𝐱𝐱

ii. ii
"nothing goes as planned"

☼ ༄ ☼ ༄ ☼ ༄ ☼ ༄ ☼

༄ "YOU'RE LATE, Percy," Kronos spoke. "We've been expecting you for days. Come, bow before me."

A giant stood behind him holding a crying Nick up. Percy guessed Nick had hurt his ankle because his weight wasn't even distributed between his legs. He realized the giant was forcing Nick to stand and it pissed him off.

Percy laughed. "Yeah, like that's ever gonna happen."

Two giants filed into place on either side of him like they had been waiting for a cue. Demigod archers appeared on the deck above them as well. Within seconds, he was surrounded.

This had to be planned. The Titan army knew about the rendezvous point. But how?

Nick whimpered in pain. "Percy..."

Anger boiled inside him which never meant anything good. Last time he got this pissed off, he blew up a volcano.

He realized that he was going to have to fight Kronos eventually. The prophecy stated that when he turned sixteen he was going to make a choice that would either destroy or save the world. That was only seven days away, so why not fight Kronos now? It might stop the second Titan war from happening.

Kronos smiled as if he read his mind. "Come forward. If you dare."

The monsters moved out of his way to give them room to fight. The giant holding Nick stupidly moved towards his side. He thought of a back up plan in case this fight went up in flames.

As he charged at Kronos, time quite literally slowed. He felt like he was moving in syrup. He couldn't move so he knew he had to use his power.

He sent Nick a warning look before he sent a wave crashing over the boat, soaking them all. The entire boat rocked to the side and some monsters slipped off.

The water revitalized him and momentarily broke the spell. He made a move to strike at Kronos, but he was too slow.

He wouldn't have been too slow if he hadn't faltered when he made the mistake of looking at Kronos's face. Luke's face. He hated Luke, but he couldn't just kill him with his little brother standing there watching. He knew Nick would never look at him the same no matter how hard he tried to.

Kronos, however, didn't falter. He sliced his scythe downward. Percy stepped back and the blade missed him by an inch.

He kicked Kronos in the chest with enough force to send the Titan stumbling back, but Kronos was heavier than a human so he didn't fall.

Kronos swung his scythe and Percy intercepted it with riptide. That was all he could do. Kronos was too powerful; all he could do was protect himself.

The scythe lightly grazed him arm. The tiny little cut shouldn't have caused him much pain but it felt like that entire side of his body exploded with pain.

He remembered what one of the telkhines had said about the scythe. It had said something about the blade severing your soul from your body and now he knew what they meant: the blade didn't just draw blood, it drained away your strength, will, and identity.