Half Blood Realm: Rise Of The Titan

All Or None

Thalia POV

Saturday Afternoon

After hearing the breach horn go off for what seemed to be the millionth time in the past few days while in the cabin with Annabeth, Thalia barked at the daughter of Athena to stay put and dashed out of the door.

The campers and head counselors were already in position filing onto Halfblood Hill, Chiron meeting Thalia's eyes with a grave expression as he followed the campers.

She snatched up a sword and hastily decided she'd risk no armor. She couldn't miss this.

She could see the Horde in the distance as she made her way to the front of the crowd, roughly 100 of them marching toward her and her friends.

She turned to the 70 or so warriors eyeing her silently. Some had blank expressions and others were pale, their eyes wide. All of them were battered and she was sure they were as tired as she was.

As hurt and depraved.

As angry.

"We've had a rough few days," she began, meeting each of their eyes, "we've lost loved ones and siblings. We face odds that no other would dare face alone. But we aren't alone. We have each other. And as long as I'm breathing, I'll fight to defend every single one of you. This isn't over." She said, her voice growing in confidence.

"Percy is on his way and the weapon to defeat the Titan Lord is close behind him. We just have to hold on a bit longer. We can do this. Let's honor our fallen and make our enemies pay for our suffering. Let's make sure that not a single life goes in vain or unaccounted for. Let's avenge them." She finished, raising her sword.

The campers raised their weapons in response, all of them straightening and gathering themselves for what lay ahead.

Thalia turned, stepping to Clarisse. "Stay close to me." She said.

The daughter of Ares narrowed her eyes and nodded once.

Facing the approaching Horde, Thalia inhaled slowly as she flexed her hand around the hilt of her sword.

Exhaling, random faces of the rogues flashed in her mind followed by that of her fallen friends.

She steeled her nerves. She wouldn't lose her resolve now. She wouldn't let up. Nor would she show remorse.

And if she saw Ethan, she'd go for the kill with no hesitation. Until then, she had to keep Clarisse close and try not to let any more of her friends get killed.

As the Horde approached, Thalia raised her sword again. She didn't have to turn to know her troops were raising their weapons as well.

"Now." She said calmly.

Charging, the roar she heard from the warriors behind her was unlike one she'd ever heard before. It filled her pores, seeped beneath her skin and etched it's way into her bloodstream. It touched her heart.

She slashed into the Hellhound in front of her and sidestepped, cutting off the head of the manticore close behind.

Piper dashed past her and buried her dagger into the chest of the ghoul a few feet away, vaulting through the air onto the back of another Hellhound as she buried her dagger into it's spine.

Thalia felt a pang of pride as she parried the claws of a eagle humanoid, turning as she buried her own sword hilt deep into the monster's ribs.

She dodged the swing of another humanoid, a bear hybrid this time with large claws and vicious fangs.

She flexed her hand, lightning encasing her blade.

She had to be mindful of the energy she exerted. Ethan would be here soon, she could feel it.

Feinting left, she jabbed right as she leaned forward. The humanoid froze and the sword sunk into it's chest as it shook from the electrocution before dissolving into gold dust.

Stepping away she gazed across the field, noticing her warriors were holding their own. The monsters were diminishing but there still was way too many for her liking.

Everything seemed to slow down and Thalia felt her blood run cold as she the hairs on the back of her neck stood up.

She could sense him, he was here.

Ethan.

His aura was that of an immortal, a quiet power channeling itself into a single being. She could sense the Titan Lord beneath Ethan, ready to take hold and wreak havoc.

She dodged a spike thrown from another manticore and sliced it's tail off, fluidly jabbing her sword through the bottom of it's jaw.

It imploded and Thalia shook the dust off of her, her eyes going haywire as she scammed the battlefield to find him.

She couldn't.

She continued to fight, moving around and defeating the monsters that overwhelmed her friends while hopelessly trying to get her eyes on the Titan Lord's host.

She'd have to kill him. It was the smartest thing to do, if he let Kronos loose right now then everything and everyone was pretty much a goner unless Percy magically happened to drop by with Nico and the Titan Killer.

She turned and suddenly she saw him. He was standing in the midst of the battle, the monsters and halfbloods seeming to fight around him. He smiled at her, drawing his sword and blowing a kiss. Focusing on his eye, Thalia was able to breathe a little easier when she noticed the pupil was brown, not solid gold like it was when the Titan was in control.

Twirling her sword she made her way to him, glancing around her friends to see if she could find Clarisse. If she was still up and kicking, then there was hope. Thalia could hold Ethan and Kronos at bay until backup arrived. No problem.

She spotted a brown haired girl viciously slicing the head off of a dracnae and Thalia turned from her when she was sure it was Clarisse.

Ethan followed her gaze but Thalia kept her eyes on his as she came to stand in front of him.

"Told you I'd be back, sweetheart." He sneered.

Thalia raised her sword, snorting and ignoring the heat that emanated from Ethan's body. The Titan was uploading and that couldn't be good for Thalia and her team. She had to cut him down before he took over. At least it'd slow him down a little.

"Always a pleasure to see you, golden boy." She spat, as the battle roared around them.

Ethan weighed his sword in his hand suggestively. "Percy should be close behind. I only came to see you again, you'd be wise to leave the battlegrounds before it gets worse. I actually like you. I'd hate for you to die before he comes, especially at my hands." He chuckled, eyeing her.

Thalia snorted, imagining her chest running through his sword. "I think I can hold my own just fine until my cousin gets back. Why don't you come see for yourself? Unless you plan to unleash the Titan and let him do his own bidding." She taunted as they circled each other.

Ethan smiled at her. "I think I just might handle you on my own, Grace. After all, I do owe you an ass whooping for the stunt you and Percy pulled. I'm sure the Titan wouldn't mind if I killed the daughter of Zeus. I wish I could say the same for Jackson."

This made her glare and a snarl began to rumble in her chest. "I already plan to kill you for what you did to Annabeth. You'd have to get through me first in order to get to Percy, Nakaurama."

Ethan shrugged. "I plan to." He said simply.

Twirling her sword, she channeled all she'd been feeling since she'd began losing her friends in this war. She channeled the energy of her comrades around her, drawing on their desire to live, their resolve as well as her own.

She took their pain and anger and made it her own. She'd kill him where he stood, she had to.

Dashing forward, she met the brown eye of the Titan host.

Swinging her sword, she clenched her teeth as he smiled.

She'd make him eat that smile.

She had to.