#Thalia Trace

[frogoru]

I love filling templates like this out THEY ARE SO FUN

[sev-on-kamino]

💙 OC x OC 💙

let’s bring some fun vibes to the dash and get to know each other’s OCs a little better.

Please send an ask with a short description of your OC, and I’ll ship them with one of my OCs, and give a few HCs for their ship.

Alternatively, if I have an OC you think is a good fit with yours, please mention them in the ask!

This can be romantic or platonic, so please specify in your ask.

please feel free to reblog!

[wlntrsldler]

i. busy streets and busy lives, and all we know is touch and go. | luke castellan | state of grace

fourteen-year-old luke castellan develops a crush on the pretty girl who shows him a type of kindness he'd never experienced before.

athena!reader x luke castellan. not canon compliant, no betrayal. happy ending luke :)

series masterlist | previous | next

fourteen-year-old luke castellan was apprehensive to let go of annabeth’s hand. the small girl just healed from her injuries following their arrival to camp. she showed no sign that she was physically not okay, but luke could still feel her shaking. they’d both just lost thalia, a companion, a friend, who they faced the scariest things with, far greater than any of their imaginations could conjure up combined. luke didn’t think it was a good idea for her to be sent off to cabin 6 just yet, away from him. 

“s’kay, luke,” annabeth tugged on his hand. he looked down at her, finding no trace of nervousness on her features. instead, she had an eager smile on her face as mr. d and chiron waited for her to walk across the stone path to meet her siblings. “i’m not going far.” 

oh, luke realized. he was the one shaking. 

he put on his brave face, telling himself that he had to be strong for his sister, but he knew deep down, he probably needed annabeth more than she needed him. the girl looked excited to be with her real siblings, and luke was being selfish keeping her away from them. he’d just lost so much already; his childhood, his sanity, at one point, his mom, thalia, and letting go of beth’s hand felt like he was giving up. he just needed something to live for, something bigger than his survival. 

luke crouched down to get eye-level with her, smiling softly, “if you need anything, i’m just a few doors down, ‘kay? whatever you need, little beth.” 

“i know,” she giggled, innocence in her eyes. she didn’t quite understand why her brother was being dramatic about it. they were safe now. 

luke ruffled her hair, making her squeal, before getting up. he gave a courteous nod to chiron and mr. d, taking hold of beth’s hand again as he walked towards the two children of athena waiting across the way. 

luke didn’t miss the way annabeth’s eyes sparkled at the buildings around her. she pointed out the intricacies of the columns lining the exteriors of some of the cabins, marveling at the vines that engulfed the walls of cabin 4. luke wondered if he was ever this small, if he ever found the beauty in the small things the same way that annebeth did. perhaps, in memories that are lost and locked away in the back of his mind, he used to be like her. 

annabeth looked happy here, safe. luke let out a breath of relief that he didn’t know he was holding in. he’d given up on a life other than survival a long time ago. since he was nine, he’d been running from everything all on his own. then he met thalia and he didn’t feel so alone anymore. and meeting annabeth, well, he found a new reason to keep going after that. she was too young to have experienced all of this. if he couldn’t protect his own innocence, maybe he could protect hers as much as he possibly could. 

“you must be annabeth,” you smiled at her, crouching down to her height the same way luke just did. “i’m y/n. i’m so glad to have a new sister.” 

“yeah, i’m annabeth. nice to meet you,” annabeth removed her hand from luke’s grasp, reaching over to shake your hand. your eyebrows raised in surprise, pleased at her manners, and accepted her handshake. she pointed at luke, “this is my brother, luke.” 

the boy beside you, holding a clipboard, furrowed his eyebrows. he flipped through the notes he had on his board, “i was told there was only one child of athena.” 

“yeah, no, i- i’m a child of hermes,” luke shook his head, the name of his father tasted bitter on his tongue. he rubbed the back of his neck with his hand, “she just means it like metaphorically? is that the word? we-we’re not actually related.” 

you stood up, eyes darting between him and beth. luke’s eyes met yours and he couldn’t help but flush under your stare. he’d seen pretty girls before; in line at a grocery store while he stuffed his pockets with stolen twinkies and chips, in the mall where he’d sit at sometimes to get away from the harsh weather outside, even on his way to see chiron and mr. d when he got a glimpse of aphrodite’s daughters, but he’d never seen anyone like you before. 

you had a commanding presence about you, like you had the answers to everyone’s questions and knew what was best for everyone, but it wasn’t intimidating at all. one look at you and luke knew you were a leader, one that led with grace and empathy and blessed with a face of an angel. you had soft features, kind eyes, high cheeks like you didn’t go a day without smiling, and hair that framed your face perfectly. he wouldn’t be surprised if people didn’t hesitate to follow you to the ends of the world if you asked them to. he was about ready to do that and he’d only just met you. 

you grinned at him, the crinkles by your eyes appearing, “but she’s your sister.” 

the smile that he returned to you was effortless. he glanced down at annabeth, nudging her, “but she’s my sister. annoying, but my sister, nonetheless.” 

“hey!” 

you and luke laughed at her harmless protest, sharing a look with each other that nobody else caught. the boy next to you, who unenthusiastically introduced himself as oliver, tucked his clipboard under his arm and motioned for all of you to start walking to the cabin. 

“luke,” oliver said, stopping his tracks, “we can take it from here. i’m sure you want to get some rest in your cabin after the 48 hours you just had.” 

luke wanted to say no. he didn’t want to leave annabeth yet. he would rather sit through long, droning minutes of learning about athena’s cabin, though he had no use for it since he won’t be living there, than retreat to the hermes cabin. but he also didn’t want to seem weak, clinging onto a seven-year-old girl when he should be perfectly fine on his own. annabeth said so herself, she wasn’t going far. 

you lived up to your angel-like demeanor when you spoke for him. you noticed the flash of panic in his eyes as he took in oliver’s words. you cleared your throat, “rest is for losers, oli. plus, the more the merrier. i say luke should come with us.” 

oliver huffed, but nodded, continuing his steps to cabin 6. you fell into a rhythm with him, conversing about camp activities that luke wasn’t too familiar with yet. annabeth trudged happily beside him, silent as she stared out into the view of camp. luke had to pull her by her shirt to stop her from running into things, her excitement getting the best of her. 

as oliver began his rant about some ares kid, you turned your head to sneak a glance at him and annabeth. luke felt his chest tighten when you smiled at him, all teeth and sunshine, before returning to your conversation with your brother. 

annabeth tapped luke’s hip, “i like her.” 

luke couldn’t hide the smile on his face as he looked down at her. his cheeks hurt from smiling so much, “me too.” 

luke wished he could say that the rest of his introduction to camp half-blood was as pleasant and nice as his interaction with you, but the rowdy cabin he was met with after he left annabeth in cabin 6 was something that he was not prepared for. unlike the athena cabin, where things were neat and put together, scrolls and books lining the walls, the hermes cabin was a mess. 

there were clothes thrown everywhere, makeshift beds in every corner of the cabin, and dozens of kids, claimed and unclaimed, running around. luke wanted to punch oliver across his face because how on earth was he supposed to get some “rest” with all of this going on? 

luke sighed, adjusting the bag on his shoulder as he searched for an empty bed. much to his dismay, the only bed available was the one right next to the entrance. he tried not to think about how little sleep he’d be getting with the door slamming open and shut with how many kids seemed to live in this place.

luke rolled his eyes, watching his siblings jump on the beds as they chased each other. none of them seemed to notice that he arrived, that he was new, but he learned from you earlier that too many half-bloods came and went in the hermes cabin. they were probably used to seeing unfamiliar faces and didn’t bother to introduce themselves anymore. 

with a silent groan, luke lay on his bed, trying to drown out the noise of laughter by pushing his thin pillow against his ears. the noise wasn’t unwelcomed, per se, but it was just foreign to him. he’d spent countless nights falling asleep to the sound of coos from animals in the woods and the sound of hushed echoes in the caves he called home. he’d slept through the roaring of the train tracks by his head and the sound of city noise outside his window when he managed to sneak into an empty motel room. he’d slept through the feeling of imminent danger, but never this. he doesn’t remember the last time he slept to the sounds of children laughing. 

he probably got a few minutes of rest before the cabin door swung open. the children quickly quieted down, which made luke get up from his position on his bed, ready to thank whoever it was that got his siblings to calm down. of course, luke wasn’t surprised when you were standing at the door, arms crossed over your chest. 

“come on, guys,” you tutted, shaking your head. “can’t you see someone is trying to rest? luke is new here and you’re not making a good first impression.” 

mumbles of apologies rang through the cabin before they all scurried out the door, all blushing in embarrassment as you sent them a look of faux disappointment. you walked over to luke, stopping at the foot of his bed. he sat up straighter, rubbing the tiredness out of his eyes. 

“sorry about them,” you grimaced, “they have too much energy for their own good sometimes, but you’ll grow to love them. i swear it.”

“yeah, they’re cute.” 

you couldn’t help but snort at the sarcasm in his voice. you motioned for the seat beside him on his bed and luke moved over to give you more space. you were so close to him that he could feel the heat of your skin radiating off you. “i take it your first day hasn’t been the best?” 

“it’s been… okay,” he trailed off, suddenly self-conscious. his curls were a mess on his head and he’s sure the pillow he had against his face left an imprint. “just a lot to take in, i guess.” 

“i get that,” you said, taking off your shoes to sit criss-cross on his bed. luke thought the cartoon owls on your socks were charming. “i remember my first day here and how chaotic it was. i would love to tell you that it stops being like that after a while, but i’d be lying and i don’t want to start off our relationship on a lie.”

luke knew that what you meant by “relationship” was platonic, with no romantic connotations, but he was a teenage boy developing a hopeless crush on a pretty girl, way out of his league, so so sue him for how his heartbeat increased ten-fold at the word.

he tugged on the neckline of his shirt, “do they always listen to you like this?” 

“i don’t know if “listen” is the right word,” you chuckled, tucking a piece of hair behind your ear. “i’ve been here a while, so all the kids know me. i dunno, if i had to guess, i’d say they’re just used to me.” 

luke hummed. you were being modest. it was clear that all the kids liked you. on the way to the athena cabin, multiple campers greeted you as you passed by, completely ignoring oliver who was beside you and him and annabeth who were trailing not far behind. you had to make so many stops to engage in small conversations with the people you ran into, younger and older kids alike. he was shocked at how you remembered everyone’s names. he lost track after the third kid. 

luke’s stomach growled in hunger and he couldn’t even play it off because it was silent in the cabin. he shut his eyes, embarrassed, as he looked away from you, clutching his stomach, begging his body to be his friend for once. 

“perfect timing, luke,” you showed no sign of being affected by his embarrassment. you slipped your feet into your sneakers. luke noticed you tied the laces of your shoes loosely, making it easier to take them on and off. “lunch is in five minutes so we better get going. when the ares kids get there first, they massacre the food before any of us gets the chance to put anything on our plate. all that training makes them hungry.” 

luke followed you out the door as you explained the structure and schedule of camp half-blood. he was only half paying attention to you because he was too busy listening to the sound of your voice and watching your face light up when you talked about something you found particularly cool. 

as you approached the line for food, thankfully before the ares kids, you handed luke a tray. he began to scoop up some food, before turning to look at you, “don’t take this the wrong way, but shouldn’t the hermes head counselor be showing me around? not that i’m not enjoying this tour you’re giving me, but i figured each head counselor for each cabin would be doing this for their new siblings.” 

“typically, yeah,” you shrugged, “i’m not even the head counselor of cabin 6 yet.” 

luke’s eyebrows raised, “you’re not?”

“nope,” you replied, leading him over to an empty table. he sat across from you, waiting for you to continue. “oli is, but he’s leaving after this year. he got accepted to MIT. i’ll be taking over for him when he leaves.” 

“that’s cool,” luke nodded, taking a bite out of the chili mac on his plate. “who’s the head counselor for the hermes cabin?” 

a frown appeared on your face as you looked down at your plate. you used your fork to push around your food, “lettie used to be.” 

luke knew that tone– grief. it was the same tone he used to tell two apollo kids to be quiet when he overheard them talking about thalia when he and annabeth were still in the infirmary. that tone meant that it was something that shouldn’t be discussed. he changed the subject, “how’s little beth settling in?” 

your usual smile returned to your face at the mention of annabeth. luke was glad it was back. “she’s great! she’s brilliant, which i expected, but she’s incredible. truly, luke, she fits right in.” 

pride bloomed in his chest. of course beth was already impressing people. she was too smart for her own good and sometimes luke had trouble keeping up with her. at least now she had her siblings to talk to. “she is great, isn’t she?” 

you nodded, “polite, too. can’t say the same about some of these kids.” 

as if on cue, two kids started bickering with each other, using colorful language that luke was sure they probably shouldn’t be using at their age. they continued to spew insults at each other before an older camper marched over to them and scolded them. the interaction ended in the two kids muttering insincere apologies to each other.

you motioned to the scene with your fork, “see what i mean?” 

luke laughed, bringing his attention back to you. “how long have you been here?” 

“three years,” you pulled out the necklace from under your shirt, showing off the beads on the string. “i got here when i was 11. grover was my protector, too.” 

“how was–” he cleared his throat, swallowing the last bits of chili mac he had in his mouth. he usually didn’t care about how messily he ate, but you were so put together that he figured he shouldn’t scarf down his food like a heathen in front of you. beth used to make fun of him because he inhaled his food so fast that she wondered if he even chewed. “how was your life before all of this?” 

“nothing special, really. my dad tried his best to raise me, but he didn’t really know what he was doing. a single dad raising a daughter on his own is hard enough, and adding that your kid is a demigod would surely have anyone raising a white flag.” luke nodded in understanding, too familiar with the pressures of that from what he could remember about his mom. you continued, “but life was good before camp half-blood, normal. i grew up in a small town in connecticut so there wasn’t much to do.” 

luke’s eyebrows raised in surprise, “where in connecticut? i grew up in westport.” 

your jaw dropped, eyes lighting up in glee. you dropped your fork on your tray, leaning over to grab his shoulders from across the table, “no way! i’m from south wilton!” 

the name sounded familiar. he recalls seeing the name on a road sign when he first left connecticut, but he couldn’t remember exactly where it was. a lot of the places he used to go to as a kid blurred together into one giant mush over the years, but with how excited you were to find out he was from westport, he figured you guys lived relatively close to each other. 

luke thought about it; a different life where he probably met you under a different circumstance. maybe you guys ended up at the same high school, both terrified little freshmen, hoping that the older kids would take it easy on you on your first day. or maybe you met earlier than that; perhaps luke was sent off to another middle school, no doubt after getting expelled because of his shenanigans like he always did, and you’d be a student there. there were so many other ways you could’ve met each other, but something in his heart told him that the ending would be the same. 

you’d still be the nice, pretty girl sitting in front of him at the lunch tables, showing him the ropes of life, showing him the type of kindness he never experienced before. though, he’d probably be eating the smushed pb & j sandwich that he forgot in the bottom of his book bag that his mom packed him for lunch instead of chili mac and you’d both be normal kids, excitedly talking about recess activities instead of swapping war stories about hellhounds and monsters. 

“what a small world,” you commented, sitting back down on your seat. luke missed the feeling of your hands on his shoulders. he liked how touchy you were. it was like your emotions were so intense that you had to grab onto someone to keep you grounded. you looked up to the roof, wondering, “i wonder how many times we almost met each other. south wilton is only ten minutes away from westport.”

“probably not many times,” luke replied, off-handedly. he wiped his greasy fingers on the napkin beside him. he didn’t know he still managed to get messy even though he tried his best to eat proper, but you didn’t seem to mind. “i didn’t really go out a lot, i don’t think. always had to stay home with my mom.” 

maybe it was because you were the daughter of athena and you were blessed with heightened emotional intelligence, but you sensed that there was something deeper to luke’s words that he seemed to not want to share. 

luke lived with the unfortunate ability to only remember the bad things that happened in his life. he attributes it to his knack for survival; if he remembers the things that could get him caught in a sticky situation, then he won’t put himself in that predicament again. dodging death left and right for five years meant that his brain was filled with a step-by-step guide on how not to die, which left little to no space for happy memories. the things that he does remember from his childhood were things like turning the stove off because his mom forgot she was in the middle of making dinner or remembering to close the window in the fall or else the house gets too cold because his mom forgot to pay the electric bill for the heater. 

not really the best memories to have of his childhood, but it taught him a lot. it kept him alive. 

“that’s okay,” you took a bite out of the strawberry on your tray, red juice slipping from the corner of your mouth. you wiped it away with your forearm, giving him a wide grin, “we met each other here so it doesn’t really matter, does it?” 

before he could answer, annabeth came racing to the table, out of breath. she was grinning like a fool, already talking luke’s ear off about how great the athena cabin was. luke pushed his tray away, turning to face the girl, nodding happily as she animatedly explained all the new things she’d learned. he couldn’t get a word in to respond because she kept talking and talking, but luke didn’t mind. 

he stole a glance at you as annabeth took a break to take a sip of water. you watched the two of them fondly, chin propped up on your hand, listening to the girl’s stories as if you weren’t there when it all happened. 

he thought of your question. no, he decided, it doesn’t really matter. he was here with you now.

[mmavverickk]

percy's scars look like waves on his skin. they ripple when he moves, as if you're looking at him from underwater. it's impossible to imagine him standing still, because even if he does, the way the light hits his skin makes it look alive. alive like the ocean, alive like waves that crash on a beach, alive like a waterfall, like a whirlpool, like a waterspout, like a hurricane. alive like a riptide, pulling you in for a closer look before dragging you under.

jason and thalia's scars look like lightning. lichtenberg figures grow from their injuries, dance across their skin in the light. you can watch it happen, if you look closely. a cut, the blood striking across their skin like lightning in the sky, and if you listen closely, count the seconds, you may even hear thunder. even after the wound is long since healed, the scar shimmers with electricity.

nico's scars look necrotic. his wounds darken, the surrounding skin growing leathery to the touch. it never spreads, never goes farther than each wound that cannot simply sew itself back together, but it is a reminder that he does not quite belong with the living.

hazel doesn't scar. Hazel is borne of earth and treasure, a child of cursed beauty and value. nothing can damage a diamond, nothing is harder, stronger. perhaps she gets an injury, perhaps something does manage to pierce her skin. in time, there will be no trace of it.

[star-dust-shark]

short fanfic ig?

It hurt.

it hurt when Nico realized that he never had liked Percy.

that on it's own didn't hurt, but the fact that he thought he'd had a crush on Percy when really he was just alone and in pain and he liked the comfort of another human being.

which made Nico think that maybe he couldn't feel love.

maybe he was heartless or gross.

he'd never have someone like how Leo had Jason, or Percy had Annabeth, or Hazel had Frank, or Reyna had Thalia.

his face felt warm and his heart hammered as he slumped against the wall in his cabin, feeling his throat begin to close up and his eyes sting.

he curled himself up, shaking, trying to take deep breaths.

no one could hear him cry. It would be to embarassing.

he shuddered, feeling a tear trace down his face.

he remembered how he felt special when he'd liked Percy. but that wasn't real.

he didn't know why it was upsetting him so much.

he didn't know why he was being so overdramatic, why he was crying and shaking in his cabin when he could be of worth.

he didn't know why he was being useless.

the thought forced a sob from his chest, shaking his core as more tears spilt from his face.

he remembered what Will had told him.

"you're having a panic attack" said Will's soft voice in the back of his head.

the same thing that was happening a now had also happened a while ago, after Nico had had another Tarturus flash back.

he breathed deeply through his nose, trying to calm himself down while trying to remember the advice Will had given him.

"go to your happy place, Di Angelo. Try to think of things that make you smile. or laugh. or just feel good".

Will had told him this while rubbing his back in a rythmatic way, tracing invisible circles on his spine.

he remembered that Will had started awkwardly laughing and apologizing for being a dork with horrible advice.

Will had always been there, though Nico didn't know why. Will was constantly looking after Nico though Nico didn't return said generosity.

and yet Will went out of his way to talk to Nico.

to text Nico through the demigod safe phones Leo had desinged.

to make him laugh or smile.

Nico's breathing began to steady slightly, and instead of a clogged throat it just felt dry. he wiped the tears off of his face, feeling his breath shudder.

his heart began to regulate, but spiked again when he heard a knock at the door.

he tried answering, but instead of saying yes, he just made a weird gargling groan with his throat.

the doorknob twisted and the door creaked open, revealing Will Solace who was scanning the cabin for Nico.

"Nico"? he called, his voice startlingly loud compared to the lulled silence of cabin thirteen.

"hey" Nico croaked, now sounding less like a dying frog and more like he had a tissue in his mouth, muffling his words.

"Nico"? Will raised his eyebrows, "what are you doing on the floor"? he creaks the door open further, washing Nico in slivery moonlight.

Will's eyes widen and his surprised expression melts to concern.

"before you ask, I'm fine" Nico mumbles as Will closes the door behind himself and sits next to Nico.

"you've got to stop doing that, you know. I'm a doctor. I know when people are in pain, whether that's physical or mental".

Nico scoffs. "you're more like a school nurse".

"plus, you have red splotches around your eyes. You've been crying" Will adds, ignoring Nico's sarcastic comment.

"well... everyone cries" Nico mutters.

Will sighs.

"why"?

Nico arches an eyebrow.

"I dunno. You're the "doctor". You should know better then me" he answers, rolling his eyes.

"not that, dumbass. why are you crying"? he jabs his finger into Nico's ribs playfully.

another shuddering breath. Silence.

"you don't have to tell me. I know you're apprehensive when it comes to trust. No pressure, Di Angelo", Will says gently.

deep breath.

"I feel..." he looks down at his hands, scars jagged like lightning bolts.

"sometimes I feel like I'm uncapable of... love, I guess".

"what"? will asks incredulously, his eyebrows shooting up to his scalp.

"sorry" he says in a gentler tone, averting his eyes, "but you aren't, Nico. Love doesn't have to be romantic".

"I know, but that's the thing. I want to feel... attached to someone. But I just... I don't... I don't know? like it feels like no one wants to be attached to me, and I'm scared to be attached to someone, because I've lost people before and I'm scared it'll happen again because it's horrible. And what if I mess up? And what's it supposed to feel like? I've never really truely liked someone, even when I thought I did. So was it fake? am I fake"?

Nico stops, realizing just how overdramatic he was being.

Will breathes deeply, chewing his lip like he does when thinking.

"Nico... how do you know"?

"what"?

"how do you know that no one wants to be attached to you"?

Nico's eyes widen, and he looks down awkwardly.

"maybe... maybe the person you liked before, you really did like, just not love. They're different things. Sometimes when you like someone, it's almost just like friendship with added steps. When you love someone, it's so many more steps, so many steps that it clouds the friendship aspect, though it's still there", Will says, his eyes trained on Nico's.

"maybe".... Nico whispers, trailing off into silence.

"Will"?

"yeah"?

Nico paused, but asks carefully, "have you ever loved someone like that"?

The corners of Will's lips curve upwards, his dimples reappearing.

"yeah".

Nico nods, not knowing exactly how to say what he wants to, but knowing exactly what it would sound like.

"thanks for talking to me, Di Angelo. I mean it".

Nico smiles, which hurts his cheeks slightly.

"thanks for listening", he replies as he rests his head on Will's shoulder, listening to the sound of his heavy breathing.

[persevereforahappyending]

Maybe in Another Life |9|

Pairing: Clarisse La Rue x Hunter of Artemis!Reader

Summary: You are a Hunter of Artemis, but you start to question what you truly want when you meet Clarisse and get to know her.

Warnings: Slight Titans Curse Spoilers

Word Count: 2.7k+

Main Masterlist | Series Masterlist

ch. 1 | ch. 2 | ch. 3 | ch. 4 | ch. 5 | ch. 6 | ch. 7 | ch. 8 | ch. 9 | ch. 10 | ch. 11 | ch. 12 | ch. 13 | ch. 14 | ch. 15 | ch. 16 | ch. 17

You and your sisters packed up camp, it had been about a week, and you had travelled all the way back to New York. You talked to Clarisse the night before she left on her scouting mission but hadn’t heard a word from her since. You and the Hunters got information about Luke or one of his lackeys in the area and made your way back to the city but came up with nothing, no trace of Luke, demigods, or monsters in general.

“You’re not coming with us,” Thalia said, as you finished packing up your bag.

“What?” You asked, furrowing your brow.

“We’re close to the city.” You followed her gaze; from the spot you made camp you could see the New York skyline. “We might as well do a supply run.”

You sighed but nodded, it made a sense, for all you knew you’d end up out in the middle of nowhere next. “Where should I meet you?”

Thalia gave you the area they’d most likely be making camp next. It would take you a couple hours to get the supplies you’d need but you shouldn’t have a problem catching up to them by the time they were all settling down for bed. If they made it further or if anything changed their plans in any way Thalia would send a message letting you know. With that you were off, making your way to the city.

It wasn’t a long trek to the city and luckily you blended in, the mist made your pack look like a normal backpack, which many of the commuters were carrying. You had been to the city many times, but you never got over all the lights and amount of people, you only ever came for errands, otherwise you spent most of your time on the outskirts of cities, away from civilization.

You entered a shop that stood out against all the skyscrapers and neon signs. To anyone who couldn’t see through the mist it looked like a normal antique shop but to a demigod or anyone else of your world, you knew what it really was. You approached the counter, smiling at the nymph behind the register.

“How can I help you?” The nymph asked, without looking up from the magazine. You sighed before dropping down a sack of gold drachmas. The nymph glanced at the sack before setting down her magazine and straightening her back. “Ooh a Hunter,” she smiled. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Nectar and ambrosia,” you said, smiling.

“Coming right up.”

You waited as the nymph disappeared into the back to gather what you asked for. Nectar and ambrosia were a rare commodity, but there were a few shops a wandering demigod could get it from if they knew where to look. You had been to this shop in particular many times, almost every trip to the city. You weren’t sure how they got what they did but given they were located in the city that had the door to Olympus you were sure they had connections of some sort. They never failed to have what you needed, whether it be celestial bronze weapons, nectar, ambrosia, or other various potions and items from your world.

You glanced out the window during your waiting, furrowing your brow when you saw a familiar head of hair walking down the street. You got closer, squinting through the window and across the street as best as you could, a small smirk appearing on your face when you confirmed what you thought you saw, Clarisse. She was on a secret mission no one was allowed to know about, you were gathering supplies and needed to get back to your sisters, but there was no reason you couldn’t pop over and say hi. You watched as she turned down an ally next to the hotel across the street.

“Here you are sweetly,” the nymph said, placing a lovely little box of ambrosia and a jar of nectar down on the counter.

You turned your attention back to the nymph, opening the box to look at the ambrosia. The ambrosia was cut into little squares, perfectly placed, and stacked in the box, not leaving an inch of empty space. “Thank you,” you said, offering the nymph a kind smile. You carefully slipped the items into your pack and made your way out the door.

You glanced both ways before darting across the street. You peered down the alley way you saw Clarisse disappear down, seeing her still in the alley, pacing back and forth and staring at a wall. You smirked as you slipped into the alley as well, silently laughing as you watched her feel around the brick wall as if she were looking for something.

“So, this is your super-secret mission,” you said when you were right behind her.

Clarisse whipped around, pointing her spear at your neck. You leaned your head back, looking down at the spear before raising an eyebrow at her. Clarisse sighed, then dropped the spear back at her side. “What are you doing here?” She asked.

“Wow, here I thought you’d be happy to see me,” you fake pouted. She only glared at you. “I was resupplying,” you sighed. “We were back over this way because we got word Luke was around but no sign of him anywhere.” Clarisse’s eyes widened at the mention of Luke. “What?”

“Nothing,�� she said, trying to sound nonchalant.

“Do you know something?” You tilted your head, crossing your arms. “Is that what your mission had to do with?”

“The less people that know the better,” she whispered. “We don’t know who to trust.”

“You don’t trust me?” You looked at her like a kicked puppy. You understood logically that they needed to be careful about who they shared information with, but you couldn’t ignore the pang you felt in your chest at the implication of Clarisse not trusting you.

“I do,” she sighed, running a hand down her face. “I can’t believe I’m doing this she mumbled.” You furrowed your brow but before you could question her, she stepped forward. “I’m looking for an entrance to the labyrinth,” she whispered in your ear.

Your eyes widened. “Are you insane?” You stepped back.

“Annabeth says there’s multiple entrances all over the world. She thinks one might be in Camp Half-Blood.”

“Why?” The labyrinth stretched all across the country, if you went in one door there was no guarantee what door you’d come out of, if you came out at all. It made perfect sense for an entrance to be at the camp though.

“We think Luke is trying to use the labyrinth to get around.” You sucked in a breath, which could explain why he disappeared so quickly in some places and now he left no trace. “We think he’s trying to learn how to navigate it so he can sneak into camp.”

You nodded; you were liking Clarisse’s secret mission even less now. If Clarisse happened to find an entrance and entered the labyrinth, there was not telling if or when she’d make it back out. You hadn’t ever been in it, you only heard the stories over the centuries, none of them ended well, people went mad, people ended up lost, or dead. The labyrinth constantly changed and shifted, redirecting you to your demise, time was rumored to move differently down there, five minutes could be five hours or even days on the outside. There were endless passageways and rooms, the majority of them led from one horror to another.

“You think ones here?” You asked, looking up at the side of the hotel, Clarisse had been poking around.

She shrugged. “Don’t know,” she sighed. “Based on Annabeth’s research one is supposed to be in the city, it’s heavily implied to be in a hotel. It just didn’t mention which hotel or where.”

“Did you check inside?” You already started walking around to the front of the hotel.

“What do you think you’re doing?” She ran after you.

“Helping.”

“I don’t need your help.” She continued to follow you through the fancy doors of the hotel. “This is my mission. I’m supposed to do it alone.”

“I’m not here to look over your shoulder,” you sighed, turning around to face her. “Or takeover your mission. I’m just…” you shrugged. “Here, and have some time before I have to head back. If you don’t want me around, I can leave.”

Clarisse looked down at the floor clearly having a serious debate with herself before she looked back up at you. “No,” she mumbled. “If this is the only way to spend time with you, I’m not passing it up.”

You smirked at her. Your smirk quickly turned into a frown when you noticed the concierge looking at you questioningly. “We have to go,” you grabbed Clarisse by the arm and quickly dragged her towards the elevators.

You pressed the button and quickly pulled her into the elevator when it arrived. You were grateful that no one else was in it or had been waiting. The doors closed right as the concierge approached, his mouth opening to question you.

“I know you’ve probably never been to a place like this,” Clarisse took a jab at you. You glared at her but didn’t deny it, it was true you had never been in a hotel before, you just knew of them from all your trips to the city. “But we need a key to use this.”

You look at the various buttons on the side panel, there were over fifteen floors in this building. “Not if we go down,” you said, pressing the button that said ground and had a little ‘associates only’ sticker next to it.

“Why are we going down?”

“Well, the labyrinth is an underground maze.” When the elevator doors opened you peeked your head out making sure the way was clear, then motioned for Clarisse to follow. “So, it makes sense that the entrance would be underground.”

You slowly made your way through the hallway, the two of you pressing yourself up against the wall when you heard someone pushing a cart of some sort. When it sounded like the cart was getting further away you peeked around the corner to see a maid pushing a basket of dirty towels in the opposite direction.

“And how would we know which way to go?” Clarisse asked as the two of you continued to move through the halls.

“The camp is protected, a boundary that doesn’t allow monsters to pass through,” you whispered. “The labyrinth was designed by a god; it radiates magic which monsters can’t help but navigate to.”

“We’re wandering around, hoping to spot a monster, to help point us in the direction of the door?” She raised an eyebrow. You shrugged, giving her a nod, you would admit it wasn’t the best plan in the world. “That’s a terrible plan!” She whisper shouted as if she could read your mind.

You started to roll your eyes as you rounded the corner only to stop dead in your tracks, making Clarisse bump into you. “What’s wrong with you?” she snapped, flicking you a glare. You pointed ahead, she turned to see the maid from earlier was standing in the middle of the hallway, staring daggers at the two of you.

“Sorry,” Clarisse said, forcing a smile. “We got lost, we were looking for the pool?”

The maid continued to stare at the two of you. You slid your foot back, bumping into Clarisse again. “Something isn’t right,” you mumbled, narrowing your eyes at the maid.

The next thing you knew the maids neck snapped to the side, then her legs twisted in an inhuman direction, her arms following soon after. You pushed Clarisse back, trying to get her to move. Your eyes widened as the skin began to melt away, steam rolling off the monster as the creature shed its disguise.

“Run!” You shouted. You pushed Clarisse back down the hall, grabbing the nearest cart and pushing it into the path of the monster.

“We can take that thing!” Clarisse shouted, trying to look back and face the monster.

“Not if that stinger hits us!” You glanced back seeing the monster looked like a giant scorpion, its stinger a glowing golden yellow as it was filled with venom. You might have had ambrosia and nectar on you, but it wouldn’t help for a wound from the stinger.

The scorpion quickly crawled over the cart you had shoved in its way. It was close enough that when it stabbed its stinger you had to duck, watching as the stinger got stuck in the wall, causing cracks throughout the concrete. It let out a high pitch squeal in anger as it ripped its stinger out of the wall, along with a few chunks of concrete.

You spun around, quickly whipping out your bow, and shooting an arrow into the monster’s eye. The creature squeezed again, then raised its pincer and snapped the arrow in half, leaving the tip still in its eye. It brought down its stinger towards you, causing you to jump back before you could get another arrow off. With its stinger impaled in the ground now you pushed Clarisse to continue forward.

After running for another moment down the hall you glanced back, seeing the scorpion nowhere in sight. You didn’t have to consider where it could have gone before taking the next turn down another hall. You and Clarisse took the turn at full speed, turning right into the scorpion.

You ducked just as it swung its pincer at you. You saw Clarisse holding up her spear, using it to keep the other pincer from getting her. You drew your bow again, your fingers brushing against your arrows before finding the one you wanted. You quickly notched the arrow and fired. It opened midair, releasing a net that latched around the stinger.

While it released Clarisse’s spear to cut itself free the two of you took off down the hall you had just come from. The two of you continued running, taking turn after turn, all the similar looking hallways starting to blur together. You had just made another turn, once again running into the scorpion. This time as it shot its stinger at you, Clarisse gripped your arm and pulled you into the nearest room. The two of you fell back into the storage closet, the door slamming behind your right as the stinger was impaled into the wood instead of your chest.

You held your breath as you stared at the crack in the door, waiting for the scorpion to mark its next move. When nothing came and you realized it was completely silent outside the door you finally released a shaky breath. You pushed yourself off the ground, holding out your hand to help Clarisse up. You kept your eye on the door, not trusting that the monster was truly gone.

“Where the hell are we?” Clarisse asked.

You turned around, your brow furrowed but your eyes quickly widened at the sight. “What the…” you started, unable to finish your sentence. You weren’t in a storage closet at all, or any room for that matter, you were in a dimly lit hallway. The hallway was all dirt and stone, a couple torches lining the walls were the only thing lighting the tunnel. You narrowed your eyes when you realized it wasn’t just normal fire on the torches but Greek fire.

“Oh gods,” you whispered before turning back around. You ran your hands up and down where the door had been, searching for a handle of some sort but only feeling the cold stone the rest of the hallway was made out of.

“What?” Clarisse asked. “What’s wrong?” She searched your concerned face.

You turned to her, your eyes wide and face pale. “We found the labyrinth.”

Clarisse’s face fell at your words, her eyes widening as she quickly spun around again. You watched the color drain from her face as she realized the situation the two of you were in. You sighed, you and Clarisse were in the labyrinth and the door you entered through had disappeared meaning the only way out was forward through the maze that was always changing, filled with monsters and traps that wanted to kill you at every turn. At least the two of you had each other, you couldn’t imagine having to navigate the maze on your own.

Taglist: @cxcilla @touchmyfracturedomens @luclue @manu-007s-world @death-in-love @nenas19 @mynameiskaci @danonered

[somewhereincairparavel]

could u do something about thalia never showing up for jason? in the end of tlh he was hoping she’d show up for the counselors meeting and she didn’t so maybe a series of him making plans with her/trying to get in touch with her and just being disappointed every time… not thalia hate i love u thalia she just is too busy for him (while doing it during the months between tlh and son could be cool i think in between boo and toa would be more angsty bc u know he’s going through a breakup!!! he’s all alone in this random private school he isn’t familiar with the mortal world and he just wants his sister but she isn’t there!!!)

Two times Jason Grace wrote Thalia a letter, and the one time he didn't send it.

author's note: Ah this is so angsty and perfecttt :( The Grace siblings deserved more…they're my faves fr.. anyway, I hope I did justice to your request anon! Thank you for requesting, it made my day! I thoroughly enjoyed writing this. I just finished my exams and I'm back to having more time for writing :) you guys can send me more angsty jason prompts like this one if you want to, I'll write them with the best of my capabilities, I'm quite new to heavy angst like this so I was surprised when I was able to finish this within an hour. Jason Grace does this to me.

TW: severe angst. I mean it, very severe, character death, mentions of sacrifice, no happy ending. I went all out, I'm sorry. I was just way too into this.

Jason traced his finger over the glossy photo frame in his hands, which encrusted a picture of his older sister, Thalia. He had requested Leo to help him with the framing, the edges were made with a mahogany coating. He smiled at the lovely picture of his sister, her hair being held together by her silver huntress circlet, wearing her punk rock clothes. 

Over the course of the summer, He had finally gotten the chance to take a good picture of Thalia for a family keepsake, he had held on to the tattered, torn picture of Thalia that annabeth had given to him before his first quest, and he still treasured it greatly. But he insisted that Thalia and him take at least one good picture before she disappeared with her maidens into the world, for months. 

“And then Leo said-” Jason was cut off by thalia’s fellow maiden Phoebe, rushing towards them, yelling for thalia. 

“Lady Thalia, lady Artemis is heavily in need of your assistance immediately!” Phoebe said panting. Thalia frowned and her eyes apologetically turned back to Jason. “I'll be there” she told her fellow huntress, before giving Jason a strangling hug. “I'm so sorry Jason, we'll talk later yeah?” Jason swallowed his disappointment after he saw how truly apologetic Thalia looked. “Of course, stay safe for me?” Thalia smiled sweetly and nodded at that before trudging up the path.

That was the last time he had seen of Thalia in months, and there was only one way to settle this. Jason decided to send in letters to his sister, that way, she could read it and keep them with her, and he could tell her everything without getting interrupted by anyone. He soon learnt to cherish this hobby alot. He loved his sister, and writing to her gave him a warm sense of comfort. He needed that, especially after Leo's death.

“Dear Thalia,

How have you been sis? I hope your mission with Phoebe to help Artemis went well! It's been pretty tough lately. My nightmares are plagued with pictures of mom. I know you of all people would understand how horrific that feels. I miss Leo, and piper's been acting a little strange around me lately.. but Leo's disappearance is taking a toll on her. So I get it. Nico is finally staying in camp half blood, isn't that great?? That boy deserved a break for once. Anyways, write back if you can, but if you can't, that's fine, I know you're busy.

–love, your annoying little brother.

Weeks, and months flew by, but still no response from Thalia. But he knew better than to take it seriously. Jason knew that she had gotten the letter, and that was enough for him. Well, that was enough, until things went downhill for him very quickly. Piper had approached him in the school corridor and thought it was a great day to end their year long relationship, shattering Jason's soul to pieces, this, coupled with the immense amount of pressure he had to build the minor god shrines, Jason felt numb, and he did what he usually did. He poured his heart out to Thalia in another letter, seeking comfort in his ink and paper. Longing for thalia’s presence once more.

“Dear Thalia,

it's me again, I hope you're doing good, atleast better than I am. I've been feeling terrible lately, Piper ended things with me, i guess we finally know why she was acting the way she did around me, huh? She said our relationship was only hera’s illusion and didn't feel that way about me anymore, which sucks, since I'm still very much in love with her. The pressure has increased tenfolds on me these days, the minor gods are heavily anticipating the promise I told them I'd keep. I'm planning on moving schools so i don't have to deal with the heartbreak of seeing Piper in school anymore. Anyways, I just wanted to write to you since it makes me feel better. Sending you lots of love from California.

— love, Your annoying little brother 

Minutes. Hours. Days. Weeks. Months. 

Jason knew. The moment the sibyl told him about looking for the third emperor. Jason knew, that his doomsday was going to knock on his doorstep very soon. He was going to sacrifice himself for Piper. And nobody was changing his mind. Jason stared out his dormitory window, the outside mortal world looked a little too cheery for the melancholic thoughts that were chasing his mind. He averted his gaze to the person in the picture frame hanging at his wall. Thalia had always been too busy for him. They had never had a proper full conversation together, one on one conversations getting disrupted, iris messages wearing out within a few minutes, even his letters never got a reply, or even a single acknowledgement. 

Yet jason knew, that Thalia Grace was the only one who loved him more than anything in the world. She didn't have to spend time with him for him to know that. He knew by the way she had only left their childhood home after Jason was deemed “dead”, he knew by the way she had picked a two year old jason up  after he injured his mouth with that stapler,he knew by the way she played hide and seek when they were little, he knew by the way she had told no one about him, not even annabeth, since he was a memory that she held close to her heart. So subconsciously, his hands wrapped around the pen he always used to write with. With shaky hands, and teary eyes slowly dripping in the paper, he began to write.

Thalia was resting on the rocks, thinking of how Jason was doing, she had recieved all his letters and read them through atleast 2 times. She wanted to respond, but it kept slipping her mind. Something had always come up, but now, she was finally free. Just as she was about to pick up her pen, she heard her name being called.

“Thalia!”

It was Reyna. She was holding an envelope, Thalia’s spirits skyrocketed at the thought of her brother sending her another letter. But.. why was it being sent through Reyna..? It was usually always sent by Jason's wind manipulation. Those letters would float towards her. That's how she always knew it was from her brother.

She was expecting Reyna to tease about Jason's cheesy letters to his sister, but what she wasn't expecting, was for Reyna to start sobbing on the spot, breaking out the news that her younger brother was dead. 

Jason. Her little stapler eating brother. Was dead.

“This was found by Meg in Jason's desk.” Reyna shakily handed Thalia the envelope. It was a blue envelope, the usual colour that Jason always sent to her. And on top of it, was his smudy handwriting that Thalia could recognise from a mile away. The letter was signed “To Thalia Grace”.

Thalia opened it carefully but tears were leaking out of her eyes.

“Dear Thalia,

there's something that I've been keeping for a while now, but I know it's finally the time to tell you this. I met the sibyl in the labryinth who had told me that my life would be cut short. if went looking for the third emperor, Caligula, either me or Piper would be killed. There's no point denying the inevitable is going to happen. Prophecy's can never be thwarted, after all. I've made my choice, I'm not letting Piper die. I've decided that I am going to use myself as a sacrifice. I'm writing you this, to let you know, that, I love you. I love you so much sis, I hope you know that. I know we've never got to see eachother much, but I don't want you blaming yourself in any way for this. I hope you know that, writing to you, even without a response from your side all these months, has helped my life feel a lot more meaningful. the mere thought of you taking the time to read my letters makes me feel so loved. So happy. Now that I know that I might be meeting my end, I'm letting you know, that I've cherished every single thing you've ever said to me. Including the fact that you hate tomatoes on your sandwiches. Take care of yourself, sis, I'm always with you.

  — love, for the last time, your annoying little brother :)

Thalia clutched the letter with her heart, screaming in agony. Thunder boomed angrily overhead, almost as if her father could feel her rage. Her heart strings were tearing apart. She sobbed, as she looked up at the blue sky, the same blue as Jason's darling eyes.

“I love you too. My annoying little brother, always”

[artist-issues]

On the Percy Jackson series, now that the season has concluded, do you have any thoughts on it, whether standalone or as an adaptation, about what worked and didn't work in it? I ask partly because I want to analyse it as its own thing but I can't stop getting hung up on the changes and I'm not completely sure why.

Of all things, Gabe is the big one for me. They turned him from a repulsive abuser to a pathetic manchild who lacks the power dynamic of his book counterpart and was so consistently treated as comic relief that I actually pitied him. The fact that he shares the fate of his book counterpart actually kind of angers me and it's hard for me to look past that. It left a mean-spirited taste in my mouth.

I don’t think I’ve talked enough about what did work, and I do think there’s a place for talking about that, so I’m glad you asked!

I think Walker Scobell could play a really excellent Percy Jackson. And I think Leah Jeffries and Aryan Simhadri are both very endearing in their roles.

I’m not going to throw shade on 14 year-old actors and actresses. There’s no shade to throw. Acting is vulnerability combined with introspection and understanding. No teenager is going to have the same level of vulnerability, understanding, and introspection, expressed with the same skill, as we’re used to seeing in adults, period. And the show doesn’t do them any favors by giving them very adult lines and very adult-behaving characters to play.

Which segues nicely into—the character’s “arcs” are completely different in the show, but they feel more like…”alternate universe” characters than “out-of-character-rewrites.” For the most part.

I already touched on how Grover is a completely different Grover in the TV show. His fear is both too serious and not extreme enough. He’s not comedic. Instead, he is a voice of reason, and he does have a maturity the other two don’t have. He’s written to talk to the other adults differently than Percy and Annabeth are—more like equals, less like teen-vs-adults. You can easily believe that Grover is a 24 year-old in a kid’s body during those scenes, like the ones with Ares.

But there’s a reason he’s not like that in the Percy Jackson books; he’s comedic, and he’s Percy’s best friend. Percy’s only 12 when they meet; it’s weird for a 12 year-old to be best friends with a 24 year-old—who BEHAVES like a 35 year-old, with all the gravity, and maturity, etc. But if the 24 year-old is a magical creature who, for his species, is still pretty young, and has a comedically immature personality, then the chemistry works much better. Anyway. Not my point.

My point is, Grover might not be Grover, but you can still see trace elements of Grover in him. Like how you can see echoes of Spider-Man in Spider-Gwen’s story. It’s an alternate-universe, not a do-over.

Grover still wants to be a seeker.

Grover still feels guilty about not taking better care of Thalia.

Grover still gets the most outraged and cares the most deeply about nature and crimes against nature.

Grover is still a peace-lover at heart, so he’s the most gentle in relational interactions.

‘That kind of stuff is still there. It’s just re-contextualized and…made less fun. That’s all. More serious. More grit.

Same thing with Annabeth:

Annabeth still wants to prove she’s the best of the best.

Annabeth’s still given up on her normal family and is most comfortable in life-or-death strategizing.

Annabeth’s still smart, but specifically wise enough to notice Percy’s heart of gold while everyone else is busy being afraid of or disappointed in him.

Same thing with Percy:

Percy still has the stubborn rebelliousness we all know and love.

Percy’s still a guy who goes with his gut first and foremost.

Percy’s still willing to sacrifice the future for the present, if the present means saving the people he loves.

Percy still makes wise-cracks at wildly inappropriate times.

And I think some of the show is really well written. Some of it. Two parts in particular stand out. The first is when Annabeth and Percy have the post-killing Medusa conversation, and they have that, “she tried to get me to betray you. What did you say? I killed her sister. What did you say? I cut off her head.” exchange. That’s great. The point of that conversation is “you can trust me because no matter how I might be tempted, this is the line I won’t cross.” But they don’t come out and say that. They have the characters say it without saying it, if that makes sense.

The second bit of good writing that comes into my brain was Luke’s conversation with Percy about being small and scary. It was such a good way to introduce the important concept of why gods need demigods/why gods fear demigods, while also lore-dropping things like “Annabeth is afraid of spiders” and “this fantasy world does have rules.” And on top of those boxes getting checked, you can also see the conversation from Luke’s point of view—he’s bitter about being thought of as a small thing to the gods, but now he’s starting to embrace the scariness part.

So some moments are good, writing-wise. Especially if you tilt your head and say “this is an alternate universe.” I just think they’re not always the right moments for Percy Jackson.

[hugheswritetr]

Traditions

MASTERLIST

Heartbeat | Jack Hughes

- prologue part 2

Author’s note: i hope you like it, i love young thalia and luke:)

♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ �� ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡

It had been a few days since the last moving truck graced their driveway, unloading their cherished belongings. Yet, Thalia couldn't shake the feeling of unease, as if something was still missing. The walls echoed with emptiness, and the rooms felt foreign and unfamiliar.

She would wander through the rooms, touching the walls as if seeking a connection, hoping to find solace in the touch. But the house remained silent, unable to offer the warmth and familiarity she craved.

The grand ceilings of the family's penthouse gave way to modest heights, embracing the essence of simplicity. The dazzling sight of New York City's Central Park transformed into the serene view of the suburban landscape. Thalia, never one to consider herself spoiled, couldn't deny the longing for her once expansive closet, now reduced to a mere nook.

In her new room, space became a precious commodity, leaving her with boxes of cherished possessions scattered throughout her bedroom, waiting to be unpacked. The walls echoed with the whispers of memories yet to be made, as she navigated the challenge of finding a place for everything.

But amidst the adjustment, Thalia discovered a hidden grace in the coziness of her new surroundings. The smaller space invited her to curate her belongings with intention, cherishing each item that found its place. The simplicity of her new reality brought a sense of focus, allowing her to appreciate the beauty in the little details.

As she carefully unpacked her treasures, she found solace in the process, discovering that it wasn't the size of the closet that mattered, but the memories and emotions attached to each item.

She slowly began to realise that her father is with her and will forever reside in things that she cherished the most.

Her mother was in Detroit, finding comfort within the elegant confines of the Mariott hotel, it was Mattheo and she who stood as the solitary guardians of their own world. The Mariott children, even when their beloved father lived, often found themselves navigating the loneliness , with only the gentle presence of nannies and butlers to accompany them on their journey. In the absence of bustling laughter and familial warmth, they learned to embrace the tranquility that enveloped their lives, cherishing the quiet moments.

Thalia allowed her thoughts to wander freely, tracing the delicate threads that connected her to her dear old friends and the halls of the school she once called home. Yet, in the depths of her soul, she knew that these cherished memories would soon become distant echoes, fading into the tapestry of time. She was redying towards a new chapter, a boarding school nestled amidst the serene beauty of Switzerland. While her spirit yearned for stability, understanding that this journey was an inevitable tribute to her late father's wishes, she couldn't help but feel a profound sense of disorientation. She had her life planned to her last breath, but she still felt so unbelievably lost.

The symphony of silence momentarily ceased as the sound of ringbell permeated the tranquil expanse of the vacant living room. Theo and Thalia, moved by an instinctive longing, rose from their respective places, their hearts clinging to the fragile hope that their mother would be standing there even though the reality of her absence loomed heavily upon them. They were aware, deep within their souls, that she was bound by the weight of important endeavors, her presence scattered across distant kilometers, leaving them to navigate through loneliness alone.

"Hello" greeted the youngest Hughes brother, his presence a delightful surprise. If the children had known the brothers well, they would have been taken aback, for Luke rarely ventured forth to engage in social encounters. Yet, in the presence of the girl, a sensation stirred within him, an inexplicable longing to engage in conversation. Maybe deep within his subconscious, he already sensed that she would become his steadfast companion, a cherished friend for the many years that lay ahead.

Mattheo's gaze narrowed, a playful glint dancing in his eyes, as he teasingly assumed the role of the protective older brother, his posture subtly mirroring the familiar stance. He relished in the fleeting moment of uncertainty that flickered within Luke's gaze. And yet, despite his wavering confidence, Luke pressed on, undeterred, delivering his rehearsed words with a touch of nervous anticipation. "I was wondering," he began, his voice carrying a hint of hope, ,, if Thalia wanted to go bike around the town and maybe talk some more”

The unexpected question caught the Mariott heir off guard, but swiftly transformed into a bubbling wellspring of excitement. No longer confined to the confines of the couch, Thalia's spirits lifted. Though the busy streets of New York had rarely afforded her the opportunity to pedal freely, her countless summers spent in the Hamptons made Thalia good at bicycling . With a mischievous twinkle in her eye, she reminisced about the races against her brother, their destination set on the local bakery, where the aroma of freshly baked pastries greeted them each morning.

flashback

"Daddy!" the young girl's joyful cry echoed through the air as she raced against her brother, their laughter intertwining with the enchanting feeling of the idyllic summer town. In that precious moment, William’s heart swelled with affection as he tenderly chuckled, basking in the sheer delight radiating from his beloved children. The Mariott family, united in their carefree spirits, reveled in the freedom of the present.

Luke and Thalia left the house, filled with excitement for their bike ride adventure. The sun was shining brightly, casting a warm glow over the town. As they pedaled along, the wind soared through their hair, heightening their sense of freedom and joy.

After a while, they came across a serene meadow, adorned with vibrant wildflowers and a soft carpet of green grass. They couldn't resist the allure of the peaceful spot, so they decided to take a break and soak in the beauty of nature.

Luke, being the young boy that he was, had a surprise up his sleeve. With a mischievous grin, he plucked a handful of dandelions, carefully weaving them together to create a delicate crown. As he approached Thalia, his heart raced with anticipation.

Thalia, oblivious to Luke's plan, watched him with curiosity as he approached her. With a twinkle in his eye, Luke gently placed the dandelion crown on Thalia's head. The vibrant yellow petals contrasted beautifully with her flowing hair, making her look like a queen of the meadow.

Thalia's heart skipped a beat as she realized the significance of the moment. Luke's eyes locked with hers, filled with genuine affection and a desire for their friendship to endure forever, he said, "I want us to be best friends forever."

Touched by Luke's heartfelt words and the beauty of the moment, Thalia felt peaceful. She couldn't have asked for a more perfect proposal of friendship. With a radiant smile, she nodded, accepting Luke's proposal wholeheartedly.

From that day forward, their bond grew even stronger. Through ups and downs, their friendship remained unwavering, a testament to the power of true friendship.

And so, as they rode off into the sunset, their hearts filled with love and gratitude, Luke and Thalia knew that they would always be there for each other, supporting and uplifting one another on their journey through life.

[captainsophiestark]

So something crazy happened this week - I hit 1.5k followers! 🥳

Genuinely thank you all so much for following me and supporting my writing. When I first joined Tumblr, I truly never could've dreamed how wonderful the community, friends, and fandom I've found would be. I love you all so much!

I've never done a follower celebration before, but I really wanted to do one for this milestone, so here we are! It's D&D themed, but no knowledge of D&D is required to join in the fun.

Our 1.5k follower campaign is going to be running from today, May 29th, to Wednesday, June 6th. During that time, feel free to send me as many things off the list below as you like! Interacting with people on here is one of my absolute favorite parts of Tumblr, so feel free to come into my ask box as many times as you like 😄

I'll be tagging all posts for this celebration as #Sophie's 1.5k Follower Campaign. You don't have to follow me to participate, but it would be greatly appreciated. Without further ado, here are the actions you can take during this campaign:

Zone of Truth - Send me an ask with a game, like KMK/FMK, Would You Rather, or anything else you can think of!

Roll Initiative - Roll some dice and send me a character from the list at the bottom of this post, along with the numbers you rolled! I have prompt lists left over from my Year of Fic planning, and I'll put your character and your dice rolls togeter to write a corresponding headcanon (or possibly longer fic, if the inspiration really strikes!). Roll one of the following, some of the following, or all of the following: 1d8, 1d10, 1d12, and 1d20. You can roll with real dice or by typing "roll dice" into google! Please specificy if you have a strong preference between a romantic or platonic fic.

Nat 20 (2 left) - Send me a character I write for and a request, and I'll write you a oneshot! My time's a little limited right now, so I'm capping these at 3 total requests. In the immortal words of Brian Murphy, "Roll three Nat 20s in a row!". If you want to also roll a d20 and send me the result, I'll add a dialogue prompt corresponding with the number you rolled to the request. Please specificy if you have a strong preference between romanitc and platonic fic.

Perception Check - I have a good amount of writing queued up for my Year of Fic and a few other projects, so send me this for a sneak peek of works to come! If you want to include a few fandoms or characters you'd most like to see included in the sneak peek, feel free to do that! Just no promises that I'll have something including them to show you

Behind the DM Screen - Send me the title of an existing fic of mine, along with specific questions if you have them, and I'll give you a little info on the process of creating the fic!

Free Action - Come into my ask box and chat with me! About fandoms, cute pet pitcures, or whatever else! Anons are welcome as usual, and if you feel like you want to be recognized without coming off anon, then you can claim an emoji and use it as a signature on your asks, so I know who you are! As of now, 🥰 emoji is the only one taken

Thank you again to every single one of you who's here with me now, from the beginning of this blog or from earlier today! I'm so happy to have you here and as a part of the party!

Writing Request Character Options:

Bridgerton: Anthony Bridgerton, Benedict Bridgerton, Colin Bridgerton, Eloise Bridgerton

Crescent City: Tristan Flynn, Ithan Holstrom, Lidia Cervos

DC: Dick Grayson, Jason Todd

Marvel: Grant Ward, Jack Thompson, Daniel Sousa, Angie Martinelli, Harley Keener, Pietro Maximoff

*Riordanverse: Luke Castellan, Thalia Grace, Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase, Piper McLean, Jason Grace

Star Trek: Jim Kirk

Star Wars: Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Padmé Amidala

Top Gun: Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw, Jake "Hangman" Seresin, Natasha "Phoenix" Trace

The Vampire Diaries: Mason Lockwood, Klaus Mikaelson, Kol Mikaelson, Damon Salvatore, Enzo St. John, Kai Parker, Caroline Forbes, Matt Donovan

*All characters in the Riordanverse are going to be book-based, since that's what I know best, and will be written as their ages at the end of Heroes of Olympus or older for requests involving romance

****************

Tagging a few mutuals who I've absolutely loved getting to this point with 🥰 thank you guys for being such a wonderful part of my experience in this place!

@ghostofskywalker @bandshirts-andbooks @trekkingaroundasgard @arttheclown-coveredinblood @flowers-and-fichte @everyhazyday @dawn-petrichor-world @space-helen @ro-is-struggling @writeroutoftime @shadowdaddies @hawaiianpizzaenjoyer

[dark-elf-writes]

Can the other demigods tell Percy is different after Tarturus, more so than Nico and Annabeth ever were

The gods can, of course they can, but do the demigods feel that Percy is More now, not a god, but no longer quite like them?

Nico would definitely know, would be able to read it on his brother’s face and feel the same traces that Thanatos had. Hazel might be able to see the same though Nico has more of the death powers than she does so that’s more of a maybe. Thalia would know though mostly because she is something other herself now and it’s almost like looking in a mirror. Annabeth… might be in denial tbh particularly with how much that moment had scared her. But the others…

There’s nothing else like Percy. No one quite like him. They would probably still see him as one of them because there’s no other frame of reference for what he is.

[sev-on-kamino]

❤️OC x Canon Ship HCs🤍

Ship a canon character with one of my OCs, and I’ll give you 5 HCs about their relationship.

[mrthology]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love ♥️

Sorry for taking so long to get to this, and thank you so much, my dear!

Of Sea Salt and Laments

Rated G, gen, ft Legolas, Gimli, and Maglor

Before sailing to Valinor after the death of Aragorn in the Fourth Age, Gimli and a sea-longing wracked Legolas meet a stranger wandering the shores of Middle Earth, drowning in grief and loss over deeds done in ages past.

Bless the Children, Give them Triumph Now

Rated T, gen, Thalia focused and her interactions with others

Thalia Grace has seen and faced much in her life. She'd seen her mother drive herself mad for love, her brother disappear without a trace, monsters beyond most people's wildest imaginations, and so much more. She had not expected it to be so hard to live in peace.

Long Ago, That Current Caught Us

Rated M, Apollo/Icarus, Percy/Apollo, Percy & Annabeth, Percy & Ariadne

Or, in another life, Percy was Icarus, the boy who flew too close to the sun. Apollo is still the same.

HAUNT ME, THEN—

Rated M, Kassandra/Apollo, Percy/Apollo, Percy & Will, etc. (mind the archive warnings). Written with my darling wife @ashilrak

Or, when Apollo cursed Kassandra before the Trojan War, it didn’t go as planned. Now, millennia later, Apollo and Kassandra are still stuck in an endless cycle of death and rebirth. Percy Jackson doesn’t know why people keep calling him Kassandra, or why he’s plagued by memories; all he knows is that he didn’t want to be a demigod.

The Burden of Our Mortal Misery

Rated M, Percy/Dionysus, Percy & Poseidon

Percy had left something of himself down in Tartarus, and he didn’t think he’d ever get it back. He wasn’t sure he wanted to.

I think my mind randomly changes on my favourites, but I love these ones! Thank you again!!

[halothenthehorns]

Chapter 22: WE TRASH THE ETERNAL CITY

Nico forced himself out from under Will's arm and tried to take an even breath as he took the book. He hated how he still felt as unsure of himself and his creepy death-drawn-to-him abilities as when all of this had started, gods if he could ball up his insecurity and chuck it in that trash he would.

But he couldn't. He could have something he found just as comforting though, and Will did indeed draw him right back to his side and it was always very nice and warm there as he read the new chapter title.

"You would," Jason frowned at Percy. Just Percy.

"It said we!" Percy protested. "Annabeth's probably blown up her own share of national monuments and just hasn't had it on print yet!"

"Yeah, I know," Jason tried hard to resist smiling as he kept his stern look in place, "it's just habit to blame you first."

"It's okay, I don't mind sharing the blame, Athena knows we share everything else," Annabeth chuckled. Jason finally nodded and looked away while Percy grumbled at the two.

The bridge to Olympus was dissolving. We stepped out of the elevator onto the white marble walkway, and immediately cracks appeared at our feet.

Thalia groaned and was more than happy she'd given the book up before she had to read that. The memory in her head of the ground falling from beneath her feet like so many a vivid nightmare had done to her was more than enough without her voice shaking to add to it all!

"Jump!" Grover said, which was easy for him since he's part mountain goat.

"The only ones at camp who can still beat me at the lava wall," Will chuckled. It was a running gag to get newbies to try and beat the slow, shaky legs of satyrs and have to do all the chores as consequences.

"Mmm," Nico said with interest for more insights into Camp as he studied Will's long, nimble fingers that had more calluses than someone who claimed to just sit around reading in the infirmary all day should have. It wouldn't surprise him in the slightest if Will just didn't think it important to mention what else he got up to around there, but Nico certainly wanted to know.

He sprang to the next slab of stone while ours tilted sickeningly.

"Gods, I hate heights!" Thalia yelled as she and I leaped. But Annabeth was in no shape for jumping.

She stumbled and yelled, "Percy!"

Percy felt a glowing sense of pride as he held her hand firmly and she just sighed from exhaustion and leaned against him without a trace of distress for this specific thing happening. It hadn't been a question if he'd catch her. Just a plea for help he'd answered as usual.

Thalia shook her head affectionately at the two. She couldn't even begrudge her little sister that happiness and peace she'd found. She actively tried to hope it might just last long enough Nico could get through this fast enough that whatever had happened to Luke while she'd once again been absent from Annabeth needing her would just pass.

Like that wasn't a wasted wish.

I caught her hand as the pavement fell, crumbling into dust. For a second I thought she was going to pull us both over. Her feet dangled in the open air. Her hand started to slip until I was holding her only by her fingers. Then Grover and Thalia grabbed my legs, and I found extra strength.

Jason had been toying with the winds in his mind, some part of him he didn't yet have full memory of but his muscles did was dusting all of their hair around like a sharp breeze he'd only vaguely been aware of. They stopped with a row of goosebumps for everyone though as he sadly at his sister.

He'd only ever heard of her problems with heights, seen the faces she'd made as an outsider of her life. The part of him that had been wanting to kick up the air and push them all to safety while he floated harmlessly over the void vanished though. She didn't need his help. She was there to keep them alive just like always. Thalia wasn't going to let them fall any more than he would, magic god powers be damned. Or dammed.

Annabeth was not going to fall.

There was something too tight in her grip though. It wasn't uncomfortable for him, but the way her nails dug in, the stress he could feel as he watched those stormy gray eyes glare at the book. Was she picturing that manticore and the sea below?

"I'm not ever going to let you fall," he promised her in surprise she could be doubting that.

"Yeah, I know Percy," she said it like she meant it too, smiling at him, but he could feel something about this was bothering her as she tried to dart her eyes back away.

He jumped up, but not away. She didn't release his arm as she tried to get up too. Instead he spun and was now kneeling before her, knees pressed into the cracked ground. His hands braced themselves on either side of her beanbag, still trying to meet her eyes that wanted to see what he couldn't. "I'm not going to let you fall," he repeated stubbornly.

"I know," her smile was sad, her grip too tight. He didn't understand.

She'd let him fall. She'd been unable to stop it as he fell off the face of the earth. Artemis had to step in to get her back where she belonged beside him.

He watched her silently and she just stared back with that sad smile because her failures were already out loud in every stupid word of this and if he didn't realize it already he would eventually. He'd stick around and not blame her but she needed to hold onto that blame or she'd forget to keep her focus.

"Let's just concentrate on this," she reminded, running her other hand through his hair. She wished Nico would keep reading and distract him.

Stubborn met stubborn for a very long, uncomfortable amount of time as the rest of them exchanged looks wondering if they were supposed to interrupt.

Yeah, Thalia decided. She did need to do that. "If you two don't stop this we're never getting out of here!" She fought hard not to get up and grab the bag of books and whack the pair with it. It would hurt Annabeth more than Percy, but even he might feel it as many as there still were left to go.

It really was like asking which would stop first, the immovable object or the unstoppable force. So they would have been equally surprised no matter who said what.

But it was Percy who leaned back and said, "fine, we'll finish this later," and settled back into his beanbag as if nothing had happened.

Annabeth had no doubts about that. She just knew she could distract him until she made that later set at her own time.

I pulled her up and we lay trembling on the pavement. I didn't realize we had our arms around each other until she suddenly tensed.

"Um, thanks," she muttered.

Annabeth let herself chuckle and whisper to him for at least some answer, "gods, you had your arms around me more this day than ever before. It was what I really needed, and I hated you for distracting me!" She gave him a light swat on said arm.

"Consider it my specialty wise girl," Percy grinned back. She wasn't sure if he meant distracting her, or holding her, but she liked the answer either way.

I tried to say Don't mention it, but it came out as, "Uh duh."

"You were pretty close Percy, only a few syllables off," Magnus told him in pity.

"Reading all of these could only have helped with his annunciation problems," Alex chuckled.

"Keep moving!" Grover tugged my shoulder. We untangled ourselves and sprinted across the sky bridge as more stones disintegrated and fell into oblivion. We made it to the edge of the mountain just as the final section collapsed.

"Maybe next time you decide to nearly die, do it on solid ground," Thalia groaned. She loathed how useless she constantly felt to Annabeth.

"I will pencil that in just for you," Annabeth promised.

Annabeth looked back at the elevator, which was now completely out of reach—a polished set of metal doors hanging in space, attached to nothing, six hundred stories above Manhattan.

Magnus did not like that. Not one little bit. It was horrifying literally, symbolically, and physically to imagine. Just doors floating in space now his cousin could not reach. No turning back, no more magical backup.

"We're marooned," she said. "On our own."

"Blah-ha-ha!" Grover said. "The connection between Olympus and America is dissolving. If it fails—"

"The gods won't move on to another country this time," Thalia said. "This will be the end of Olympus. The final end."

We ran through streets.

"Not away from the danger," Magnus needlessly clarified to no one. "Not towards safety and some magical ex-machina McGuffin! Towards the psycho Titan who could kill you all with a look, blasting you off the ground vanishing beneath your feet!"

"Can you even imagine us doing that?" Thalia smiled in surprise like he'd just told the funniest joke.

"I'd be so hacked off if Grover suggested that," Percy shook his head. "All that crap we did, building up to that! No fight! What was all that training for otherwise?"

"You should cut him some slack guys," Annabeth chuckled, "maybe Percy would have gotten into slightly less trouble if he'd been there to warn us what bad ideas you always have."

"Me?" Percy sighed.

"Don't underestimate your cousin Annabeth," Thalia scoffed, "I think he does it for show half the time now. He's far to indulgent of Percy and Alex's every whim. Have you heard him actually pretending he wouldn't help every step of the way once while freaking out?"

Annabeth smiled in agreement, which grew as Magnus sighed and right in line did not bother to deny that's exactly what he'd do while slumping into the arm of the couch.

Mansions were burning. Statues had been hacked down. Trees in the parks were blasted to splinters. It looked like someone had attacked the city with a giant Weedwacker.

"Was the we not even about Percy and you guys?" Jason asked, still smirking at Percy's put out look for being singled out. "It's already trashed before you even finished stepping foot around there."

"It would be a nice change of pace if so, these stupid things are finally targeting Kronos and Ethan," Percy shrugged without much care.

"Kronos's scythe," I said.

We followed the winding path toward the palace of the gods. I didn't remember the road being so long. Maybe Kronos was making time go slower, or maybe it was just dread slowing me down. The whole mountaintop was in ruins—so many beautiful buildings and gardens gone.

Annabeth couldn't help but grin at him as she told in a weirdly happy tone of voice after all that destruction, "it really hasn't gotten old yet to know what you focused on."

It didn't take a genius, let alone a seaweed brain to grasp she'd been seeing the same as him. He smiled right back. It was always nice to know they were on the same page even without a book between them.

A few minor gods and nature spirits had tried to stop Kronos. What remained of them was strewn about the road: shattered armor, ripped clothing, swords and spears broken in half.

To say nothing of their shattered, ripped, and broken bodies, Percy shook his head in sorrow. There had been as much ichor on the streets as rubble with as little mercy as had been shown.

Somewhere ahead of us, Kronos's voice roared: "Brick by brick! That was my promise. Tear it down BRICK BY BRICK!"

"That sounds like it would take a really long time though," Alex sounded grudgingly admirable of putting that much patience into something. "I'm surprised really, though I guess he of all of them does have the time to spare."

"Well it wasn't a very well kept promise, just like all of them," Percy rolled his eyes. "I saw plenty of half toppled buildings and bricks standing."

"Guess Hades has something new he can agree with his siblings about," Thalia smiled faintly, "their father is a terrible liar too."

"Hmm, I'm sure he'll be thrilled," Nico chuckled.

A white marble temple with a gold dome suddenly exploded. The dome shot up like the lid of a teapot and shattered into a billion pieces, raining rubble over the city.

"That was a shrine to Artemis," Thalia grumbled. "He'll pay for that."

"As opposed to all the other things he'd done he was just going to get some minor gripes over," Jason asked her mildly.

"Well it's not like the stakes were personal for any other reason," she groused without meeting his eyes. He sighed and quickly let it go.

We were running under the marble archway with the huge statues of Zeus and Hera when the entire mountain groaned, rocking sideways like a boat in a storm.

"Look out!" Grover yelped. The archway crumbled. I looked up in time to see a twenty-ton scowling Hera topple over on us. Annabeth and I would've been flattened, but Thalia shoved us from behind and we landed just out of danger.

"Thalia!" Grover cried.

"When, when it said we-" Jason was suddenly so stark pale in concern the faint tattoo on his lip was the clearest thing on his face.

"Relax, I'm not a ghost haunting Percy or anything," she said with a casual enough smile, but it did little to soothe him or Percy who shuddered in fear right along with him. Gods, if he'd gone into this battle with one of his best friend's deaths hanging over him like this, he'd be as reckless as she'd once accused Luke of being. The light fading from Zoe's eyes would have been the only thing he'd see in her dark blue gaze.

Jason couldn't swallow, couldn't breathe for a moment as he realized she could have died just then and he'd have never met her. He would have gone the entirety of his life never meeting her...he still wasn't sure if that was in his future at all except for this cosmic joke of a room!

"Thank you," Annabeth said all the same, her voice as small and full of warmth as that girl she'd found on the streets.

"Of course," Thalia bobbed her head as if acknowledging she'd given her the extra fries.

Annabeth sighed at once again realizing far to much how alike Percy and Thalia were. Always eager to brush off their own compliments and then worry they hadn't done enough.

When the dust cleared and the mountain stopped rocking, we found her still alive, but her legs were pinned under the statue.

We tried desperately to move it, but it would've taken several Cyclopes.

"Even I wouldn't have protested a team of them showing up right then," Thalia scowled as she fought the urge to rub her legs. She had about as much love for them as Annabeth did just seeing one pop up, but she might have tried to pull a Nobody at minimum or begged for help at worst to get that thing off so she could continue what she started all those years ago...

When we tried to pull Thalia out from under it, she yelled in pain.

"I survive all those battles," she growled, "and I get defeated by a stupid chunk of rock!"

"Hopefully the height of your Greek tragedy?" Nico told her in mild concern, though it did come out as more of a question he at least hoped it for her. She did seem to have found some kind of happy ending with the Hunters in between all this.

"I'll get back to you on that," Thalia scowled at the dark ceiling. She dared not glance at Jason, or hear the Fates laughing in her ear.

"It's Hera," Annabeth said in outrage. "She's had it in for me all year. Her statue would've killed me if you hadn't pushed us away."

Thalia grimaced. "Well, don't just stand there! I'll be fine. Go!"*

We didn't want to leave her, but I could hear Kronos laughing as he approached the hall of the gods.

More buildings exploded.

"We'll be back," I promised.

"I'm not going anywhere," Thalia groaned.

A fireball erupted on the side of the mountain, right near the gates of the palace.

"We've got to run," I said.

"I don't suppose you mean away," Grover murmured hopefully.

I sprinted toward the palace, Annabeth right behind me.

"I was afraid of that," Grover sighed, and clip-clopped after us.

Magnus laughed into the awkward silence their joke had come to pass. Even Jason might not have been able to keep track of how many times that happened and went right over their heads.

He was to busy watching his sister in concern.

Thalia had watched them go feeling gutted, useless. As if she might as well go steal some seeds and plant herself there as a tree for another thousand years as Annabeth had dashed off after Percy with one last lingering look at her, mouthing something. She didn't know what. She didn't want to ask. A promise to save Luke? A promise to kill Kronos once and for all?

She'd struggled under that statue until she couldn't breathe from her burning muscles, hating herself for everything she'd ever done, and feeling a laugh echo in her head from a demigod she'd never met. Hercules might as well have appeared above her though, scolding her for trying to be like him. No child of Zeus should ever hope for more than just getting the chance to grow up, let alone be important enough to have some sort of final say in the lives she'd revolved around.

When she'd finally been dug out, when Luke's body was carried past her, she'd convinced herself she didn't care she hadn't been there. She'd gone back to the Hunters with a sense of peace that it was meant to be this way and she'd played her part as Annabeth and Percy had held hands.

But being back in the thick of this was really thinning out that resolve.

The doors of the palace were big enough to steer a cruise ship through, but they'd been ripped off their hinges and smashed like they weighed nothing. We had to climb over a huge pile of broken stone and twisted metal to get inside.

Kronos stood in the middle of the throne room, his arms wide, staring at the starry ceiling as if taking it all in. His laughter echoed even louder than it had from the pit of Tartarus.

"Which is strange, you think it would have far less of an echo in there. As big as that place is, it's still got to be slightly smaller than Tartarus," Alex offered.

"I should have recorded it," Percy frowned at her, "so I can make you fall asleep listening to it every night."

"What does Chiron take away if he catches you torturing someone?" Magnus asked in mild concern, more worried about other campers than Percy specifically. "Hopefully something worse than desert, right?"

Alex's laugh sounded far to amused. Percy had no idea that would truly be a comical noise compared to her usual dreams.

"Give us a little more credit than that, would you?" Will sighed at his usual theatrics. Any psychos the place had really collected over the years had quickly vanished to Luke's side, and hadn't been seen since.

"Finally!" he bellowed. "The Olympian Council—so proud and mighty. Which seat of power shall I destroy first?"

"Was he actually asking for advice?" Nico asked with a small smirk. He had some opinions.

"No, and I doubt he'd give you a vote. His loss," Annabeth rolled her eyes. She really hoped they'd stop with the jokes soon, this wasn't funny to her.

Ethan Nakamura stood to one side, trying to stay out of the way of his master's scythe. The hearth was almost dead, just a few coals glowing deep in the ashes. Hestia was nowhere to be seen. Neither was Rachel. I hoped she was okay, but I'd seen so much destruction I was afraid to think about it. The Ophiotaurus swam in his water sphere in the far corner of the room, wisely not making a sound, but it wouldn't be long before Kronos noticed him.

"Could Kronos himself sacrifice him?" Magnus shivered in unease. Zoe had only said it would give one power to destroy the gods, there hadn't been a clause mentioning a Titan was exempt.

Nobody answered him, which usually meant yes and nobody wanted to admit it.

Annabeth, Grover, and I stepped forward into the torchlight. Ethan saw us first.

"My lord," he warned.

"He needs to die first, like, seven backstabs ago," Alex said in a deep, guttural voice of anger.

To her surprise though, Percy frowned. He looked like he was fighting back a sigh and just seemed very, very tired. She'd thought he'd be at least wincing in pain over how this victory went down so close at hand, or even pleased he had at least some confirmation at his side those important to him lived through it.

It left her feeling unbalanced what was to come even knowing the outcome.

Kronos turned and smiled through Luke's face. Except for the golden eyes, he looked just the same as he had four years ago when he'd welcomed me into the Hermes cabin. Annabeth made a painful sound in the back of her throat, like someone had just sucker punched her.

Which was a very strange thing to ever exist in Magnus's mind for even a moment. He just imagined Percy's hand coming out of nowhere and snatching that fist away to break someone's arm if someone ever tried while Annabeth wound up to punch back.

"Shall I destroy you first, Jackson?" Kronos asked. "Is that the choice you will make—to fight me and die instead of bowing down? Prophecies never end well, you know."

"I must have a better track record than most," Percy muttered in absent surprise. He gestured to Jason in a subconscious way he must have learned from Rachel, like summoning his accountant. "Right?"

"Going by my numbers, yeah," he agreed. Though only two had been specifically about him, Percy's involvement did seem to be a good mark.

"Luke would fight with a sword," I said. "But I suppose you don't have his skill."

Kronos sneered. His scythe began to change, until he held Luke's old weapon, Backbiter, with its half-steel, half-Celestial bronze blade.

"Why would you want that thing back?" Will asked in concern.

"Mental strategies and such," Percy grinned in his usual doofus way, tapping the side of his head.

Will wasn't fooled. Percy turned to Annabeth and gave her an exaggerated wink before his eyes slid back to the book. Will shifted through his mind for a few moments before he felt he'd landed on some sort of Percy like reason. He was trying to draw Luke out as much as he could. He'd seen the human behind those golden eyes enough times to at least hope he could draw him out.

Next to me, Annabeth gasped like she'd suddenly had an idea. "Percy, the blade!" She unsheathed her knife. "The hero's soul, cursed blade shall reap."

A broken promise could curse an item, in some myths. It had been a long shot, but Annabeth had rallied with absolute confidence as she'd looked upon her hero for the last time without the tunnel vision of the halo of light surrounding him. Maybe he didn't have to just be a hero to her if she did this right.

It seemed a miracle even Zeus couldn't perform it had all worked out, if not in the way she'd have once wished.

I didn't understand why she was reminding me of that prophecy line right now. It wasn't exactly a morale booster, but before I could say anything, Kronos raised his sword.

"I think this is one of those times where it's allowed for you to shout the answer without completing the sentence!" Alex threw her hands up with a groan.

"I don't judge how your mind works," Annabeth frowned.

Alex still had to sigh and grumble for a moment before letting it go, more eager to get to the answer than complain to her. For now.

"Wait!" Annabeth yelled.

Kronos came at me like a whirlwind.

"I cannot believe he didn't stop to listen to you," Thalia sounded far to sarcastic for her outrage to be real. Annabeth still wished it was. That some part of Luke would have hesitated even after all this.

My instincts took over. I dodged and slashed and rolled, but I felt like I was fighting a hundred swordsmen. Ethan ducked to one side, trying to get behind me until Annabeth intercepted him. They started to fight, but I couldn't focus on how she was doing.

Magnus sure could, he had no problems splitting his attention between wondering how Percy wasn't headless and how his cousin had survived with one entire freaking arm being a hindrance!

I was vaguely aware of Grover playing his reed pipes. The sound filled me with warmth and courage—thoughts of sunlight and a blue sky and a calm meadow, somewhere far away from the war.

Kronos backed me up against the throne of Hephaestus—a huge mechanical La-Z-Boy type thing covered with bronze and silver gears. Kronos slashed, and I managed to jump straight up onto the seat.

"If you're hoping that godly smiting thing redirects, I wouldn't think your luck extends that well," Jason cringed and glanced down at his seat for the first time as if to make sure it wasn't going to start strangling him by association.

"I didn't do it on purpose," but even to Percy's own ears he could hear how useless that would be to the God of the Forge. He definitely didn't think he'd get away with this one for nothing even if he won. Great. Any future hope of getting on a bus without it exploding had probably just vanished too.

Nobody looked twice at Magnus's mouth hanging open Percy had managed to jump that high only on adrenline. It was just another detail in the long list of Percy's fighting feats.

The throne whirred and hummed with secret mechanisms. Defense mode, it warned. Defense mode.

"I would move," Will oh so helpfully pointed out in case Percy had never tried to poke a high-voltage electrical fence before. That would strangle him. Then shock him back to life and kill him again.

"Thanks man, don't know how I got through this without you there," Percy snorted.

That couldn't be good. I jumped straight over Kronos's head as the throne shot tendrils of electricity in all directions. One hit Kronos in the face, arcing down his body and up his sword.

"ARG!" He crumpled to his knees and dropped Backbiter.

At least that got a good round of laughter throughout the room, Nico helpfully adding, "look on the bright side, of all the gods in there, he might be the sole one to thank you for helping him get more ideas of how to weaponize his chair."

"Yeah, just what I always wanted, to help a god figure out more ways to kill me," but Percy was smiling along something had gone right.

Annabeth saw her chance. She kicked Ethan out of the way and charged Kronos. "Luke, listen!"

I wanted to shout at her, to tell her she was crazy for trying to reason with Kronos, but there was no time.

"Literally in this instance," Magnus tried his best to say without an eep in his voice and covering his face like that would do any good to stop the words pouring in.

It was true though, Alex gave him a sad smile. Kronos was sucking up all the time for himself and refusing to share. He'd really been the worst.

Kronos flicked his hand. Annabeth flew backward, slamming into the throne of her mother and crumpling to the floor.

Gods that felt so deliberate, Thalia winced in disgust. She didn't know anymore how aware Luke really was in there, Kronos had been spying on them long enough, either of the personas could have done that to her with a purpose...or no care at all where she landed. She wasn't even entirely sure Athena would recognize which child it was right away to care past the insult.

"Annabeth!" I screamed.

Ethan Nakamura got to his feet. He now stood between Annabeth and me.

The most dangerous place to be, Nico frowned to himself. Nobody could say this guy wasn't brave.

I couldn't fight him without turning my back on Kronos.

The fact that he was in there alone having to deal with this fight was still a ragged edge inside Thalia that made every breath a painful exhale, every new breath feel wasted. Screw the stupid prophecy saying Percy was the only one to stand against this! This had not been an epic tale told around the campfire, but quick hushed words around Camp between the shouts of delight in Kronos being gone and the cries for the dead.

It really wasn't better to have it all inlaid in detail where she couldn't ever escape it again, but a chain she allowed upon her shoulders without regret if it would help Annabeth even a moment later at having to revisit this too.

Grover's music took on a more urgent tune. He moved toward Annabeth, but he couldn't go any faster and keep up the song. Grass grew on the floor of the throne room. Tiny roots crept up between the cracks of the marble stones.

Even among everything else going on, Magnus couldn't help but shiver as Hyperion came back to mind. Grover probably wasn't capable of single-handedly recreating that given past evidence, but he wouldn't put it past the guy to try.

Kronos rose to one knee. His hair smoldered. His face was covered with electrical burns. He reached for his sword, but this time it didn't fly into his hands.

"Nakamura!" he groaned. "Time to prove yourself. You know Jackson's secret weakness. Kill him, and you will have rewards beyond measure."

"The reward of, being killed last?" Alex's voice was disdainful and mocking and something else tied in such a knot it should have sounded only painful.

"He's not going to get to find out," Percy's voice was a cold menace, only tempered because Annabeth was in his arms now, breathing. Alive.

Ethan's eyes dropped to my midsection, and I was sure that he knew. Even if he couldn't kill me himself, all he had to do was tell Kronos. There was no way I could defend myself forever.

"Look around you, Ethan," I said. "The end of the world. Is this the reward you want? Do you really want everything destroyed—the good with the bad? Everything?"

Grover was almost to Annabeth now. The grass thickened on the floor. The roots were almost a foot long, like a stubble of whiskers.

"There is no throne to Nemesis," Ethan muttered. "No throne to my mother."

Will sighed deeply that so many of their worlds problems could have been solved if this had just been able to be solved with a quick lawn chair around the room. The power imbalance wasn't theirs to say, but that didn't mean they should be silenced for voicing it. There just had to be a balance. Percy might have stopped the war, but hearing that only reminded him there were going to be more battles down the road if something didn't change.

"That's right!" Kronos tried to get up, but stumbled. Above his left ear, a patch of blond hair still smoldered.

Jason laughed, a dark noise under his breath. His sister might not be in there to have done the deed, but it felt good all the same to know that chair must have fried his brain for even a split second before the Titan shrugged it off.

"Strike them down! They deserve to suffer."

"You said your mom is the goddess of balance," I reminded him. "The minor gods deserve better, Ethan, but total destruction isn't balance. Kronos doesn't build. He only destroys."

Ethan looked at the sizzling throne of Hephaestus. Grover's music kept playing, and Ethan swayed to it, as if the song were filling him with nostalgia—a wish to see a beautiful day, to be anywhere but here.

His good eye blinked.

Then he charged . . . but not at me.

While Kronos was still on his knees, Ethan brought down his sword on the Titan lord's neck. It should have killed him instantly, but the blade shattered. Ethan fell back, grasping his stomach. A shard of his own blade had ricocheted and pierced his armor.

Annabeth gasped, covering her mouth with her hand on instinct to muffle it. She'd been in white hot pain and pretty out of it, but the moment now replayed in her head in too vivid detail. That could have been her if she'd been given half a chance, if she'd struck out with her knife like she'd wanted to upon seeing him.

Kronos rose unsteadily, towering over his servant. "Treason," he snarled.

Jason wondered if Ethan so flagrantly taking back his once vow had done any good at this point. Had it weakend Kronos in the body he'd constructed of magic and power? Had it made Luke take even a fraction of a stronger hold inside seeing the boy so easily tossed aside as a god would do to him?

Grover's music kept playing, and grass grew around Ethan's body. Ethan stared at me, his face tight with pain.

"Deserve better," he gasped. "If they just . . . had thrones—"

Kronos stomped his foot, and the floor ruptured around Ethan Nakamura. The son of Nemesis fell through a fissure that went straight through the heart of the mountain—straight into open air.

"So much for him." Kronos picked up his sword. "And now for the rest of you."

Percy leaned forward in his seat, that scowl back on his face he'd never admit to. The one they'd first had described upon meeting Ethan back in that arena but had seen numerous times now.

About the same amount of times as Ethan had backstabbed, betrayed, and generally made the wrong decision again, and again.

Yet Percy had gone from shock at such a death, to this.

He would have helped Ethan. He would have offered his hand and pulled him back into that thrown room and gotten him ambrosia and taken him back to Camp after turning that look on Kronos.

Ethan had already lost his eye for his cause. Was this last minute change of heart enough to redeem him? Did he deserve anything else besides this?

Percy clearly thought so.

My only thought was to keep him away from Annabeth.

Jason felt a shaky sigh though, wishing he could stop Nico for a moment to really catch his breath, catch up with the whirlwind of emotions that gave him. He didn't know this guy, it wasn't an unsound guess to say nobody would mourn this loss. He wanted to, he just didn't know anything more on how to do it.

Grover was at her side now. He'd stopped playing and was feeding her ambrosia.

Everywhere Kronos stepped, the roots wrapped around his feet, but Grover had stopped his magic too early. The roots weren't thick or strong enough to do much more than annoy the Titan.

Which Percy was usually all on board with, but maybe now was a good time to hope for something a little stronger so he wouldn't join Ethan.

We fought through the hearth, kicking up coals and sparks. Kronos slashed an armrest off the throne of Ares, which was okay by me, but then he backed me up to my dad's throne.

"Oh, yes," Kronos said. "This one will make fine kindling for my new hearth!"

Our blades clashed in a shower of sparks. He was stronger than me, but for the moment I felt the power of the ocean in my arms. I pushed him back and struck again—slashing Riptide across his breastplate so hard I cut a gash in the Celestial bronze.

He stamped his foot again and time slowed. I tried to attack but I was moving at the speed of a glacier. Kronos backed up leisurely, catching his breath. He examined the gash in his armor while I struggled forward, silently cursing him. He could take all the time-outs he wanted. He could freeze me in place at will.

Will gave a shaky smile, that stupid old joke on his lips, but what he instead said was, "at least you can take all the breaks you want this time around."

Percy nodded with gratitude. The adrenaline, the near constant stress of the past days, hell the past years of his life had not been easy to all be tipped back into his brain a teaspoon at a time. It had felt, strange, but almost better getting to laugh with his friends about the absurdity of it all along the way and not feel like an outcast or alone through so much of it. He could look back on some of those more painful memories with a sense of nostalgia now.

My only hope was that the effort was draining him. If I could wear him down . . .

Magnus winced though at how that would wear Percy down faster than him. Even fighting over a body, Kronos had been raining hell down. Had he even bothered needing to sleep? Eat? But Percy was far more human. It didn't feel possible that could be the downfall of this battle, but could it be?

"It's too late, Percy Jackson," he said. "Behold."

He pointed to the hearth, and the coals glowed. A sheet of white smoke poured from the fire, forming images like an Iris-message.

"I really hope Hestia and Iris band together to at least make him regret using their shtick before he gets thrown back in the pit," Alex grumbled. She was personally imagining him just being trapped in a rainbow bubble he couldn't escape and watching Percy and his friends enjoy the victory party that was soon to follow all of this.

I saw Nico and my parents down on Fifth Avenue, fighting a hopeless battle, ringed in enemies.

It had been bad enough when he'd been in that situation, but being forced to see them doing this without him really was like Kronos had just thrown one of his worst nightmares right into his face with the burning hot coals being the least painful part.

In the background Hades fought from his black chariot, summoning wave after wave of zombies out of the ground, but the forces of the Titan's army seemed just as endless.

And yet Hades's forces had made all the difference, the reason Percy's mom was even alive, Will sighed in relief. Nico would have been overwhelmed trying to keep Percy's parents alive on his own. He couldn't help his thudding heart that had him squeezing Nico's arm again in relief to have him here now. The muscle only went into double time as Nico just grinned back at him.

Meanwhile, Manhattan was being destroyed. Mortals, now fully awake, were running in terror. Cars swerved and crashed.

The scene shifted, and I saw something even more terrifying.

A column of storm was approaching the Hudson River, moving rapidly over the Jersey shore.

Chariots circled it, locked in combat with the creature in the cloud.

The gods attacked. Lightning flashed. Arrows of gold and silver streaked into the cloud like rocket tracers and exploded. Slowly, the cloud ripped apart, and I saw Typhon clearly for the first time.

I knew as long as I lived (which might not be that long) I would never be able to get the image out of my mind. Typhon's head shifted constantly. Every moment he was a different monster, each more horrible than the last. Looking at his face would've driven me insane, so I focused on his body, which wasn't much better. He was humanoid, but his skin reminded me of a meat loaf sandwich that had been in someone's locker all year. He was mottled green, with blisters the size of buildings, and blackened patches from eons of being stuck under a volcano. His hands were human, but with talons like an eagle's. His legs were scaly and reptilian.

"I can see why he and Echidna make the perfect couple though," Nico said snidly.

"I'm back wondering why meatloaf sandwiches keep being mentioned so much." Jason rolled his eyes. "Does Percy's mind ever leave his stomach?"

"Not that I've heard," Thalia agreed.

"The Olympians are giving their final effort." Kronos laughed. "How pathetic."

Zeus threw a thunderbolt from his chariot. The blast lit up the world. I could feel the shock even here on Olympus, but when the dust cleared, Typhon was still standing. He staggered a bit, with a smoking crater on top of his misshapen head, but he roared in anger and kept advancing.

My limbs began to loosen up. Kronos didn't seem to notice. His attention was focused on the fight and his final victory. If I could hold out a few more seconds, and if my dad kept his word . . .

Typhon stepped into the Hudson River and barely sank to midcalf.

The fact that it covered half his foot gave Magnus's mind a weird influx of trying to figure out how to scale this guy in his head. None of it made sense, and he was sitting here listening to a book that had made it all real. This was his life right now.

Now, I thought, imploring the image in the smoke. Please, it has to happen now.

Like a miracle, a conch horn sounded from the smoky picture. The call of the ocean. The call of Poseidon.

Percy's grin was a wild thing. He finally felt like he'd been a part of this battle in a significant way, like he'd been crouched in that muddy water tense and waiting for the order to charge right along with his dad and godly and mermaid family. His dad had really listened to him!

All around Typhon, the Hudson River erupted, churning with forty-foot waves. Out of the water burst a new chariot—this one pulled by massive hippocampi, who swam in air as easily as in water.

"It's been an option to ride Rainbow or Blackjack this whole time?" Magnus yelped.

"I'm going to be chased by a whole herd of animals when I get out of here and it's going to be entirely you's two's fault," Percy sighed as he gestured between him and Alex. Neither looked the slightest bit repentant.

My father, glowing with a blue aura of power, rode a defiant circle around the giant's legs. Poseidon was no longer an old man. He looked like himself again—tan and strong with a black beard.

Jason smiled. He would have loved to have done a whole essay to study on how Poseidon depicted himself not truly on the shape of his realm but the way he perceived it. Now his home was in ruins but he was back to his favorite body. His eyes flickered between Percy and Alex as his hands itched with curiosity to get started.

As he swung his trident, the river responded, making a funnel cloud around the monster.

Nico laughed at having gotten to witness that once with Percy doing the same. The seaweed didn't flow far from the ocean on those ideas.

"No!" Kronos bellowed after a moment of stunned silence. "NO!"

"NOW, MY BRETHREN!" Poseidon's voice was so loud I wasn't sure if I was hearing it from the smoke image or from all the way across town. "STRIKE FOR OLYMPUS!"

Warriors burst out of the river, riding the waves on huge sharks and dragons and sea horses. It was a legion of Cyclopes, and leading them into battle was . . .

"Tyson!" I yelled.

I knew he couldn't hear me, but I stared at him in amazement. He'd magically grown in size. He had to be thirty feet tall, as big as any of his older cousins, and for the first time he was wearing full battle armor.

Annabeth had a hard time wrapping that one around her mind. She'd grown to like Tyson for how much he was like Percy, sweet with a big heart and smarter than most people gave him credit for. To hear of his ruthless size, that he was and could be as vicious as the monster who had once haunted her nightmares as clearly as the furies made it hard to swallow for a few moments even if she knew she'd hug him tight next time she saw him again.

Riding behind him was Briares, the Hundred-Handed One.

All the Cyclopes held huge lengths of black iron chains—big enough to anchor a battleship—with grappling hooks at the ends. They swung them like lassos and began to ensnare Typhon, throwing lines around the creature's legs and arms, using the tide to keep circling, slowly tangling him. Typhon shook and roared and yanked at the chains, pulling some of the Cyclopes off their mounts; but there were too many chains. The sheer weight of the Cyclops battalion began to weigh Typhon down. Poseidon threw his trident and impaled the monster in the throat. Golden blood, immortal ichor, spewed from the wound, making a waterfall taller than a skyscraper. The trident flew back to Poseidon's hand.

It was a strategy worthy of Athena, Percy and Annabeth exchanged grins. The timing was just glorious, the age old trick of just toppling your enemy with their own weight.

The other gods struck with renewed force. Ares rode in and stabbed Typhon in the nose. Artemis shot the monster in the eye with a dozen silver arrows. Apollo shot a blazing volley of arrows and set the monster's loincloth on fire. And Zeus kept pounding the giant with lightning, until finally, slowly, the water rose, wrapping Typhon like a cocoon, and he began to sink under the weight of the chains. Typhon bellowed in agony, thrashing with such force that waves sloshed the Jersey shore, soaking five-story buildings and splashing over the George Washington Bridge—but down he went as my dad opened a special tunnel for him at the bottom of the river—an endless waterslide that would take him straight to Tartarus. The giant's head went under in a seething whirlpool, and he was gone.

"I want to get a raccoon and name him Typhoon now," Alex nodded to herself. She had plenty of options finding them, it was just a matter of picking the right little monster to tame.

"Because that's the first thing someone should think after hearing all that," Percy said in resigned exhaustion to her. At least that should be the worst thing he should ever have to face, he could brush off Alex making light of it since he'd never had to be around that thing in person.

"It will be now," Thalia promised as she rubbed her temples.

"BAH!" Kronos screamed. He slashed his sword through the smoke, tearing the image to shreds.

"They're on their way," I said. "You've lost."

"I haven't even started."

He advanced with blinding speed. Grover—brave, stupid satyr that he was—tried to protect me, but Kronos tossed him aside like a rag doll.

Percy's heart thumped in his chest like it was trying to take the impact for his best friend. Grover had just thrown himself in front of a Titan for him! He didn't know how to even describe to himself how stupid and reckless and impulsive that was any more than how much it meant to him.

"He's our Protector Percy," Annabeth reminded his tense hands, which still held hers. He breathed and brushed his hand through her hair instead. It was all he could do.

I sidestepped and jabbed under Kronos's guard. It was a good trick. Unfortunately, Luke knew it. He countered the strike and disarmed me using one of the first moves he'd ever taught me. My sword skittered across the ground and fell straight into the open fissure.

"STOP!" Annabeth came from nowhere.

Kronos whirled to face her and slashed with Backbiter, but somehow Annabeth caught the strike on her dagger hilt. It was a move only the quickest and most skilled knife fighter could've managed. Don't ask me where she found the strength,

"Funny, because you're the first person I think of where that strength comes from," she whispered gently into his ear.

Percy huffed and wondered if that impact knocked a few columns loose in her head. Brilliant still, of course, but maybe kind of nuts.

but she stepped in closer for leverage, their blades crossed, and for a moment she stood face-to-face with the Titan lord, holding him at a standstill.

"Luke," she said, gritting her teeth, "I understand now. You have to trust me."

Thalia physically bit her tongue to stop herself waving at Annabeth, 'see! You did not Do Fine! You are still talking to that traitor!'

She didn't though because here finally was an answer to a question that had plagued her. How had it worked? No filter, nothing from her sister to glorify this moment. Just Percy finding the right thing to say.

Kronos roared in outrage. "Luke Castellan is dead! His body will burn away as I assume my true form!"

I tried to move, but my body was frozen again. How could Annabeth, battered and half dead with exhaustion, have the strength to fight a Titan like Kronos?

Annabeth couldn't help but chuckle at the absurd way he phrased that. It wasn't the kind of strength she'd get by jumping in the Styx. He should know that better than anyone.

Kronos pushed against her, trying to dislodge his blade, but she held him in check, her arms trembling as he forced his sword down toward her neck.

"Your mother," Annabeth grunted. "She saw your fate."

"Service to Kronos!" the Titan roared. "This is my fate."

"The Fate's seem kind of bad at telling the whole story," Nico wanted very much to snap back in his face. He'd never sat around looking for someone to cut a string in front of him, and he wouldn't care now if they did.

"No!" Annabeth insisted. Her eyes were tearing up, but I didn't know if it was from sadness or pain.

Sadness and pain were to light of words for what she'd been crushed with looking into those golden eyes and trying to get through to him. This had been her moment. From the day she'd realized Luke had broken his promise she'd tried to stop this.

And she had.

But she didn't know if the cost would have been worth it to her before this day.

"That's not the end, Luke. The prophecy: she saw what you would do. It applies to you!"

"I will crush you, child!" Kronos bellowed.

"You won't," Annabeth said. "You promised. You're holding Kronos back even now."

"LIES!" Kronos pushed again, and this time Annabeth lost her balance. With his free hand, Kronos struck her face, and she slid backward.

There was a collective wince around the room, the anger and outrage that instinctively went around was heartwarming and something Annabeth had never seen before aside from Percy, all in her name.

I summoned all my will. I managed to rise, but it was like holding the weight of the sky again.

"It's a good thing you got all that practice in," Will nodded. Something about what Nico had said really paying off right now about history repeating itself with Percy. He brought it on himself in this marvelous kind of way.

Kronos loomed over Annabeth, his sword raised.

Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. She croaked, "Family, Luke. You promised."

Thalia still couldn't believe what she was hearing with her own ears. How stubborn her sister was for still trying. For thinking that reminding him of this one last time would do any good.

That it had worked.

I took a painful step forward. Grover was back on his feet, over by the throne of Hera, but he seemed to be struggling to move as well. Before either of us could get anywhere close to Annabeth, Kronos staggered.

He stared at the knife in Annabeth's hand, the blood on her face. "Promise."

Then he gasped like he couldn't get air. "Annabeth . . ." But it wasn't the Titan's voice. It was Luke's. He stumbled forward like he couldn't control his own body. "You're bleeding. . . ."

There was a triumphant air about her now that was to hollow to feel like a real victory. She'd done this with nothing. No knife, nothing to snatch out of her bag, no training from Chiron, she couldn't even really attribute this to her mother's wits. She'd just taken a breath and said something to Luke, as herself. That seven year old girl who'd been abandoned at every turn finally got to be heard, and it changed everything.

"My knife." Annabeth tried to raise her dagger, but it clattered out of her hand. Her arm was bent at a funny angle. She looked at me, imploring, "Percy, please . . ."

I could move again.

I surged forward and scooped up her knife. I knocked Backbiter out of Luke's hand, and it spun into the hearth. Luke hardly paid me any attention. He stepped toward Annabeth, but I put myself between him and her.

"Don't touch her," I said.

Percy was starting to get angry at how many times he'd had to say that lately. Annabeth was so strong and usually the one to lead him in the right direction. It was downright strange to have to defend her even when he stepped up to do it without thinking.

Anger rippled across his face. Kronos's voice growled: "Jackson . . ." Was it my imagination, or was his whole body glowing, turning gold?

Percy had been around a few to many gods who liked to burst into their godly form without warning to not know the danger that this came with. He wouldn't even be able to fight Kronos anymore. He would be truly unstoppable.

He gasped again. Luke's voice: "He's changing. Help. He's . . . he's almost ready. He won't need my body anymore. Please—"

"NO!" Kronos bellowed. He looked around for his sword, but it was in the hearth, glowing among the coals.

He stumbled toward it. I tried to stop him, but he pushed me out of the way with such force I landed next to Annabeth and cracked my head on the base of Athena's throne.

Percy rubbed the back of his head and looked around at his girlfriend with the most exhausted puppy dog eyes. "Think this'll finally get her to cut me some slack? Or did I just dig myself deeper?"

"It's not like you decided which throne to crash into," she chuckled lightly for him, patting the back of his hand.

"The knife, Percy," Annabeth muttered. Her breath was shallow. "Hero . . . cursed blade . . ."

When my vision came back into focus, I saw Kronos grasping his sword. Then he bellowed in pain and dropped it. His hands were smoking and seared. The hearth fire had grown red-hot, like the scythe wasn't compatible with it. I saw an image of Hestia flickering in the ashes, frowning at Kronos with disapproval.

There was a soft but sincere laugh that echoed in the room for several moments. Last Olympian indeed, she'd done more to cripple Kronos with that one disapproving act in her own flames than all the others had done up to this point to thwart him.

Luke turned and collapsed, clutching his ruined hands. "Please, Percy . . ."

I struggled to my feet. I moved toward him with the knife. I should kill him. That was the plan.

But Percy wasn't a murderer. He never had been. Even in the throws of battle, given chance and again to preemptively strike to protect, he only defended. When he did kill, only dust was left.

Luke was still just human enough, nobody considered he'd go through with it.

So the prophecy could really only end one way now.

Luke seemed to know what I was thinking. He moistened his lips. "You can't . . . can't do it yourself. He'll break my control. He'll defend himself. Only my hand. I know where. I can . . . can keep him controlled."

He was definitely glowing now, his skin starting to smoke.

Percy had never watched a baby chick crack out of an egg, but he had a bad feeling that's what he was about to see while throwing in a star exploding. There had been translucent cracks under his skin, like something was pulsing and glowing. Like the godly blood they all had inside of them was straining to get out at every pore possible at once.

I raised the knife to strike. Then I looked at Annabeth, at Grover cradling her in his arms, trying to shield her. And I finally understood what she'd been trying to tell me.

You are not the hero, Rachel had said. It will affect what you do.

"Please," Luke groaned. "No time."

If Kronos evolved into his true form, there would be no stopping him. He would make Typhon look like a playground bully.

Which Percy had an abundance of practice dealing with, but even the gods and great prophesies and all the forces in their world didn't mean a matchup could be possible. There would always be a bigger monster in the world, until there wasn't.

The line from the great prophecy echoed in my head: A hero's soul, cursed blade shall reap. My whole world tipped upside down, and I gave the knife to Luke.

There was still a small part inside of Thalia that resented Percy this moment. Even knowing she never would have done the same, and it would have ended the world as they knew it. She should have been there, even while Percy ignored her to tilt the handle to him.

But, like Luke had used her name in vain, like Annabeth had only needed her for a short time as a crutch, like Percy only needed her for a stepping stone to see what he shouldn't be like, like Artemis needed her to replace Zoe, she'd only been involved long enough to be a vague memory.

Grover yelped. "Percy? Are you . . . um . . ."

Crazy. Insane. Off my rocker. Probably.

Oh I'm sure Grover was going to say something much more colorful than that, Alex shook her head at this guy. Grover had been there for at least a majority of Percy's crazy stunts and this was somehow the most mad as a hatter of them all.

But she wasn't really surprised. It seemed Percy's innate ability to do the right thing for everyone, just like any proper hero from a story should. He was just real enough to be a bit of an idiot in their world to be doing it.

But I watched as Luke grasped the hilt.

I stood before him—defenseless.

He unlatched the side straps of his armor, exposing a small bit of his skin just under his left arm, a place that would be very hard to hit.

Percy waited for the jokes. For the teasing and laughter that Luke had actually used his armpit for his weak spot. Somebody to start making snide comments about worshiping his gut. Something.

There was just a long heavy silence. They'd won. They'd all wanted Luke and Kronos dead. But the moment was here. And there was just silence.

With difficulty, he stabbed himself.

It wasn't a deep cut, but Luke howled. His eyes glowed like lava. The throne room shook, throwing me off my feet.

Again. Jason could never turn off that part of himself, but he just blinked a few times as he held it back. Percy had been thrown off his feet three times in that thrown room.

He couldn't wait to find out what kind of patterns he'd find in his own past.

An aura of energy surrounded Luke, growing brighter and brighter. I shut my eyes and felt a force like a nuclear explosion blister my skin and crack my lips.

It was silent for a long time.

When I opened my eyes, I saw Luke sprawled at the hearth. On the floor around him was a blackened circle of ash. Kronos's scythe had liquefied into molten metal and was trickling into the coals of the hearth, which now glowed like a blacksmith's furnace.

Luke's left side was bloody. His eyes were open—blue eyes, the way they used to be. His breath was a deep rattle.

"Good . . . blade," he croaked.

Annabeth finally broke down in tears. She'd been trying so hard not to. She'd known this was coming and it felt silly and ridiculous but she couldn't stop the sob that shook loose and the hot feeling pouring out.

Thalia watched Percy gather her as tight to his chest as she could, her arms wrapping around his throat and pulling herself closer still. She'd never told the story of how Luke had come into the possession of it nor its even more sordid past with Apollo. She should though. She could see the questions and the hunger in more than just Jason.

Maybe when they got out of here though. These dark halls and corridors they couldn't leave were full of to many shadows.

I knelt next to him. Annabeth limped over with Grover's support. They both had tears in their eyes.

Luke gazed at Annabeth. "You knew. I almost killed you, but you knew . . ."

"Shhh." Her voice trembled. "You were a hero at the end, Luke. You'll go to Elysium."

He shook his head weakly. "Think . . . rebirth. Try for three times. Isles of the Blest."

Annabeth sniffled. "You always pushed yourself too hard."

"Oh, is that what he was doing this whole time? I always knew over achievers were the worst," Percy grinned at the one in his arms.

She coughed on a laugh and kissed his neck as she tried to convince herself to stop crying. The secure feeling of being in his arms was helping with that a lot.

He held up his charred hand. Annabeth touched his fingertips.

"Did you . . ." Luke coughed and his lips glistened red. "Did you love me?"**

Yes and no, no and yes. It depended on the way he meant love, it depended on what Percy had said to her within the hour, it depended on what year of her life he meant. Gods, if she'd been able to freeze time to this moment she still didn't know how she would have given him a better answer.

Annabeth wiped her tears away. "There was a time I thought . . . well, I thought . . ." She looked at me, like she was drinking in the fact that I was still here. And I realized I was doing the same thing. The world was collapsing, and the only thing that really mattered to me was that she was alive.

Nico fought the urge to surround himself with shadows so he could groan and vomit in peace for just a moment. He really hoped those two were done being the most sickeningly in love people. It was old.

"You were like a brother to me, Luke," she said softly. "But I didn't love you."

Annabeth rubbed at her flushed cheeks and was unsurprised to see it didn't look like the others believed her. She'd probably come across to all of them in her absence as some love sick princess not to be taken seriously. She grimaced though at the alternative of trying to justify herself and no one listening to her either, possibly not even Percy depending on how strong his crush had really been through all this.

He nodded, as if he'd expected it. He winced in pain.

"We can get ambrosia," Grover said. "We can—"

"Grover," Luke gulped. "You're the bravest satyr I ever knew. But no. There's no healing. . . ."

Another cough.

He gripped my sleeve, and I could feel the heat of his skin like a fire. "Ethan. Me. All the unclaimed. Don't let it . . . Don't let it happen again."

His eyes were angry, but pleading too.

"I won't," I said. "I promise."

Luke nodded, and his hand went slack.

It meant something to Will that his last words were for others. The ones at Camp who hadn't fallen into complacency at their lot in life. Luke had gone about fixing it in the wrong way, but then, if he'd never done all of this, who ever would have figured out if there was another way to do it?

The gods arrived a few minutes later in their full war regalia, thundering into the throne room and expecting a battle.

"And not a single one of them even flinched," Alex muttered without surprise, elbows digging into her legs, head resting on her palms as she watched in jittery anticipation for Will's turn, for the real fall out of how the gods were going to act to all this. Sweep it under the rug? Try to just throw another party and move on like nothing had happened? The real story ended when the dust settled.

What they found were Annabeth, Grover, and me standing over the body of a broken half-blood, in the dim warm light of the hearth.

"Percy," my father called, awe in his voice. "What . . . what is this?"

I turned and faced the Olympians.

"We need a shroud," I announced, my voice cracking. "A shroud for the son of Hermes."

Jason could see that Nico was done. That this final page of Luke's life was at an end as he cradled the book and whispered something only Will heard. The son of Apollo gave him a rogue smile and whispered something back Jason didn't have a care to listen to, eyes on his sister.

He'd felt out of place here since the beginning. Mismatched. Alone. Everyone in here had someone they could relate to, even Magnus who'd thought himself a mortal had come in with one of his best friends and quickly found a companion in Alex.

Thalia should have been that for him. Instead, she'd been at Percy's side, keeping him out, at arm's length.

So he snatched up his beanbag and dragged it back to where it had once been without question and plopped back down beside her. One of them had to deal with this eventually and he didn't feel like waiting and hoping for a miracle from their dad for it to happen.

She jumped. Thalia Grace jumped. He'd startled her, and he grinned as her red-rimmed eyes narrowed on him and she had a wicked hunting knife in her hand he was not afraid of.

Nobody said anything more as Will took the book.

PJOPJOPJOPJO

*I will never forgive RR how he ROBBED Thalia of her resolution of being in that room with them. He really couldn't have come up with any better way for Hera to get her last lick in at Annabeth for this?!

And I haven't even gotten Started on Jason.

Is this some divine joke about ignoring Zeus's children in the narrative, or does he secretly have a grudge against the Grace children for personal reasons!?

Regardless, the majority of this fic has been soothing my teenage constipation of emotions of this topic, and I hope you've been enjoying the ride as much as I have writing it.

So, I'm already working on a draft for the next chapter because I'm so excited to almost be done with this, and I have a question for you all. What do you think Percy wished for before Zeus offered him immortality? We never get any moment in the series before this of Percy longingly thinking of Something he couldn't achieve-ably have that Zeus would even grant him before Luke died. I toyed with him wanting to gift his mom something, but A) the point of the first book was she didn't need Percy's help and that feels regressive for that to be Percy's first thought, and B) He is well aware that any gift a god gave him would come with some sort of kick-back price and he'd never put that on his mom so I'm stewing on ideas I'd love to hear from you guys.

**Ah the most controversial moment in this entire series. When I first read this I wasn't clear on how much older than Annabeth Luke was, I thought him like, seveteen to their fifteen so middle school me who already had a distinct lack of care in relationships just read right past this moment without thinking twice on it.

This series just didn't have much of an impact on my life except fondly remembering how it made me laugh in class with friends. I hadn't reread it in many years before deciding to do this series.

Now you can read back on this moment two different ways. RR is notoriously poor at cannon, changing it between series and sometimes books. You can imagine Luke whatever age you want to make this less creepy.

Or you can be one of the amount of people who send me comments saying Luke was a creepy creeper creep who groomed Annabeth and fell in love with a seven year old the second he met her at fourteen.

Regardless of your opinion on a piece of fiction, let's all just take a step back and appreciate that this story did have an impact on so many for the good of getting us into looking at other cultures and history. That's how I chose to look at it.

Hope you enjoyed.

[starlightshadowsworld]

Mama's Boy Part 2

Part 1

What no one realised was just how big of an impact Jason's death would have on him.

Sure it was tragic for one so young to fall the way he did. But Jason was a demigod.

It was always going to end this way. He knew that more than anyone.

But that knowledge didn't make it easier. For Jason, for the boy not the soilder who always dreamed.

Of growing old, of having a family to call his own.

To love someone so deeply and dearly in a way he'd never been loved.

He didn't regret what he did, of course he didn't. He had to save his friends, it was a no brainer.

But that was easier to say in the moment. It was easy in the heat of the moment to push forward and take the fatal blow.

To lay down your life for those you love. But the thing about death is that all souls would end up accepting the fate they'd be dealt with.

Imagine the underworld overrun with souls who demanded they didn't belong their, there would be chaos.

It was why souls often became stuck, becoming akin to photographs.

A fleeting moment captured out of a whole life time. Through losing a lot of what made them, well them through their memories.

It made them content, happy and at peace with their new life.

Even if it made the light in the fade.

And if that was what happened to Jason, he would have been okay.

Afterall Jason wasn't the first to lay down his life for others. Wasn't the first who had dreams that had been cut down so brutally.

But what made his case different, is that his memories had already been meddled with in life.

When a soul enters the afterlife any curse, any magic they'd been hit with loses its touch.

Including something inflicted upon them by the Queen of Olympus herself.

In doing so, Jason did not fade like the others did.

If anything he brightened, shone like starlight in the night sky. Where other souls lost parts of themselves and lived in blissful peace and ignorance.

Jason regained what he'd lost. Memory after memory flooded through his mind.

He saw Thalia shushing him gently as his mother drowned herself deeper in her bottle.

The rain fell outside, lighting illuminating the figure of his mother.

It occurred to Jason than that other than her spirit, Jason hadn't known what his mother looked like.

And here she was. Beryl cursed at the lighting before putting her drink down, she scooped Jason out of Thalia's arms.

Her movements were sluggish but her smile was kind.

Even Thalia seemed to calm a little at the gentleness of their mother, it wouldn't last but it was one the Grace siblings soaked up.

He began to cry as the storm grew louder. Beryl softened. "Do not cry my little sunshine. You you see that? Your father is saying hi, this is his way of showing his love to you."

The bundle in her arms began to calm, flailing his limbs in something that could be interpreted as a wave. Thalia laughed and Beryl chuckled, holding him close.

Jason's heart ached, the family he'd always longed for... He had once had it.

More memories of his home life flashed before him. Some kind, some not so. Some with smiles and others with tears.

Jason traced the scar on his lip as he watched his younger self get it. Smiling in amusement as Thalia chastised him.

And than it changed.

Beryl mother was crying, her make up a mess. Their were monsters at the window and she was shaking.

He was in her arms and Beryl held him close. "Please... Please make this stop. I'll do anything but... Not my Jason."

She looked down at him, kissing his head gently. "We'll be okay sweetie."

But the monsters didn't stop, nor did the calls of who Jason recognised now as Hera.

Telling Beryl that her torment would end if she gave up her son.

And over and over his mother refused.

But she was only human, and one day she laid him on the forest floor with tears in her eyes.

"Lady Juno just said for a moment okay. I'll be right back sweetie, I promise."

Even when she walked away she couldn't stop looking back.

Tears welled up in Jason's eyes as he watched the wolves come for him.

... She hadn't wanted to give him up.

She had loved him. Jason thought it was some kind of trick of her spirit but...

... She had really loved him. His mother hadn't lied to him, she always intended on coming back.

She did what they asked, she followed the rules and she had every intention of coming back for him. And they'd stolen him from her.

"Stop!"

Jason could only watch as he was dragged wailing and screaming to the Wolf House.

See the way that Lupa regarded him as nothing but a means to an end.

"Please!"

He watched himself change from a sweet bright eyed baby to a wild child who's teeth were sharpened and had the instincts to rival an actual wolf.

How Lupa drilled into his mind that he must be self sufficient.

That if he failed her tests she would kill him.

Young Jason learning to hide his fear, being berated for having such weaknesses and crying silently in the dark.

With only the moon to comfort him as no one else would.

Than he was in Camp Jupiter, every camper looking at him in disgust for his wolf behaviour.

Only looking at him favourably when Jupiter claimed him.

Jason could only watch as they changed him, crushed the wild ways he was taught and forced him into becoming a steely eyed child soilder who obeyed every rule.

And yet rebelled to look out for the overlooked campers.

None of them looked at him twice though.

No matter how much he was punished and mocked.

Jason had only wanted to befriend and care for others... And look where it got him.

Could he truly believe that Apollo would remember? That even if he did something would be done?

Especially when Jupiter/Zeus had all the power and he didn't care for his youngest son at all.

No one had ever cared about Jason before. Only using him as a means to an end, they stole him from the life he had dreamed from.

They had stolen his memories, beat him and moulded him into whatever they wished.

Be it monster or hunter.

... No, no his friends wouldn't forget him so easily. But if a diety made them forget their was nothing they could do.

Everyone had forgetten him once before, replaced him as Praetor and never searched for him.

Nico could summon him whenever be wanted to and he hadn't.

He probably didn't need Jason around anymore, everyone out grew him at some point anyway.

Jason curled up into a ball, willing the tears away and yet they couldn't stop falling.

What else had been hidden from him? How many lives had he lived only to lose them and be turned into something to fit an idea?

... Who was he?..

His sadness turned to anger. And little did he know it started to infect into his soul.

It shouldn't have been to much of a suprise, Jason had always resembled his mother more than his father.

But not even Nico could have seen this coming.

[saulweissberg]

availability / @edwardsthalia setting / the geraghty, chicago, il.

appropriately pragmatic.

that was certainly not an inaccurate interpretation of saul’s character. he wasn’t sure if she meant that as an insult or a compliment. maybe both? it was a natural trait of the weissberg men and saul had followed in suit of his forefathers. he had toyed with the idea of running for town council, but ultimately decided he was far too busy with his fledgling firm to add onto his workload with such an appointment. that, and he was afraid he wouldn’t get enough votes. thalia had previously called him mr. blue harbor, and while he did have a lot of friends, that didn’t mean everyone in town actually did like him. he doubted he could get thalia and her sister to vote for him. it was best to let that idea die before it could plant itself in his brain, anyway.

he was still staring down at the namecard. “i’m not mad about it.” saul reassured. there was a brief melancholic smile on his face, reading over the name again and again. it had been a while since he had seen someone he loved with his last name tacked onto theirs. he had never been the type of husband to demand that his wife take on his surname, but he did appreciate it whenever they did. each of them, in the end, dropped it with the divorce, though. it was saul that was left with it, another reminder of how he had failed everyone. “i just figured your sister would’ve gone through every account and registry to remove any trace of weissberg.” he was joking… kind of.

he knew that societal functions had never been thalia’s favorite. it was saul that was the social butterfly, the one that enjoyed schmoozing with new york’s high society—which he had traded in for the upper crust of chicago—and the one to insist on attending pretty much any event that invited him. during the marriage, particularly toward the end, these functions were simply tolerated by his wife. that was why he was so surprised to even see her now. “it’s like riding a bike.” by that, he meant that the majority of these galas and dinners were boring and mechanical, and yet he enjoyed them immensely. despite the fact that he always went out for dinner back home, these galas felt like the only time saul was out and about in the world. “you just have to drink until you find these people interesting.”