Born To Die

It all goes downhill

The tension in the room was suffocating, every second stretching into an eternity. I stood over Luke, my heart pounding in my chest as I looked down at him—my Luke, pale and still, like a shell of the man I loved. His chest rose and fell slowly, but his eyes were closed, his expression vacant. Kronos's influence was already taking root, and I felt helpless to stop it.

Across the room, Percy stormed in, his face a mixture of fury and desperation. Behind him, two giant guards dragged Ethan Nakamura, bruised and bloodied but still defiant. Ethan's dark eyes flicked around the room, taking in the scene—the golden sarcophagus that held Kronos's essence, Luke's lifeless form, and me, standing like a statue by his side.

"Don't do it, Ethan," Percy said, his voice sharp and pleading at the same time. "You don't have to do this. Whatever they promised you, it's not worth it."

Ethan sneered, yanking against the guards' grip as they dragged him forward. "What would you know about promises, Jackson? What would you know about sacrifice? You've had everything handed to you—your powers, your friends, your family. You don't understand what it's like to have nothing."

Percy took a step closer, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. "I understand more than you think," he said, his voice steady now. "But this? Giving yourself to Kronos? It won't fix anything. It won't bring justice to the gods who wronged you—it'll destroy everything. Everyone. Including you."

Ethan hesitated, just for a moment, his eyes darting to me and then to Luke. I could see the conflict in his expression, the way his jaw tightened as if he were fighting an internal battle.

"You don't get it," Ethan said, his voice quieter now. "The gods don't care about us, Percy. They never have. They only care about their own power, their own glory. Kronos... he's offering us something different. A chance to tear it all down and build something new."

"At what cost?" Percy shot back. "You think Kronos cares about you? About anyone? He'll use you, just like he's using Luke. And when he's done, you'll be nothing to him. Just another pawn he can throw away."

I felt my throat tighten as Percy's words hit too close to home. I looked back down at Luke, my fingers trembling as I reached out to brush a strand of hair from his forehead. He didn't stir, didn't react.

"He's right," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Percy and Ethan both turned to look at me, their gazes heavy. I swallowed hard, forcing myself to speak. "Kronos doesn't care about Luke. He doesn't care about any of us. He's taking everything—everything I love—and leaving nothing behind." My voice broke on the last word, but I didn't care. "Don't let him do the same to you."

Ethan's expression faltered, the anger in his eyes dimming as he looked at me. I could see the doubt creeping in, the cracks forming in his resolve.

"You don't understand," Ethan said again, but this time his voice wavered. "I... I can't go back. I can't."

"You don't have to go back," Percy said, stepping closer. "But you don't have to go forward with this either. You have a choice, Ethan. We all do."

The room fell silent, the only sound the faint hum of energy emanating from the sarcophagus. I held my breath, watching as Ethan stood there, torn between the path he'd chosen and the one Percy was offering.

For a moment, I thought he might listen. That he might turn away from Kronos and choose something better.

But then he shook his head, a bitter smile crossing his face. "It's too late," he said.

Before Percy could stop him, Ethan yanked free from the guards and stepped toward the sarcophagus. My heart sank as he dropped to one knee, bowing his head.