The Time's Curse

Prologue

PROLOGUE

The Titan's Wrath

Mount Olympus
Empire State Building
600th floor 
August 18, 2009

"Luke, listen!"

Annabeth's shout echoed through the Throne Room, attracting the attention of the other people in it for a second. She had somehow managed to shove Ethan, the son of Nemesis, aside and was now approaching both the demigod and the titan with an anxious frown on her face. Percy wanted to scream at her in fury and impotence, wanted to tell her she was insane for trying to reason with Kronos, but there was not enough time to do so, for the second the blonde managed to get close to the demigod possessed by the titan, he waved his hand dismissively, as if swatting a fly, and sent Annabeth hurtling backward. She collided with her mother's throne with a sickening crack and fell to the floor, lying there like a lifeless doll.

"Annabeth!" Percy cried out in sheer terror but he didn't dare approach her. He understood that he needed to get past his adversary to assist her, so he sidestepped and lunged at Kronos, trying to land a blow. It was a clever move that might have succeeded against any other opponent, but Luke knew him too well. He effortlessly countered the strike, disarming Percy using one of the first techniques he had taught the younger demigod. The son of Poseidon's sword clattered to the ground and slipped through an open fissure.

Percy hesitated, taking a step back to remain out of the titan's reach. He knew it could take a few minutes for his sword to return to his pocket, leaving him essentially powerless in the meantime. He needed to keep Luke distracted until his weapon came back. But before he could devise a plan, a flash of gold and honey darted across his field of vision.

To his astonishment, it was the hair of the daughter of Athena.

"ENOUGH!" Out of nowhere, Annabeth had suddenly appeared, leaping in between the two men and positioning herself as a barrier.

Kronos turned to face her and slashed at her with the Backbiter, but somehow Annabeth caught the strike on the hilt of her celestial bronze dagger. It was a move only the quickest and most skilled fighter could have pulled off.Uncertain of where she had summoned the strength, she leveraged the blades and, for a moment, stood face to face with the Lord of the Titans, effectively holding him at bay.

"Luke," she said through clenched teeth, struggling to hold her ground. She knew she was skilled, but her opponent was far more powerful. "I understand now. You have to trust me."

Kronos, however, wasn't pleased with her words and let out a roar of outrage. "Luke Castellan is dead! His body will burn away when I assume my true form!"

He pushed against her with all his strength, trying to release his sword from the block she had managed to place, but the blonde demigoddess held him in check, with her arms trembling as he directed the sword towards her neck.

Percy, who had felt Riptide return to his pocket moments ago, tried to rush to his best friend's aid, but his body was frozen under the Titan's power of time. He cursed inwardly as he watched the scene unfold, his heart pounding with panic. It was beyond him how Annabeth, exhausted as she was, could continue to fight the titan king and survive.

"Your mother," Annabeth panted in a tired voice, her eyes pleading as she looked at the once son of Hermes, the one she had believed she loved, the one who had cared for her in her weakest moments, "She saw your fate."

"Service to Kronos!" The Titan's voice showed signs of pain, perhaps the real Luke's pain. "This is my fate!"

"No," she insisted. Her eyes welled with tears, but whether they were from sadness or pain was unclear. Perhaps it was both. "That's not the end, Luke. The prophecy: she saw what you would do. It applies to you."

"I'll crush you, child," Kronos vociferated.

"You won't," she said with confidence, though her face paled slightly at the threat. "You promised. You're holding Kronos back even now."

"LIES!" The pain faded from Kronos' voice, replaced by fury. The titan pushed her again, and this time Annabeth lost her balance. With his free hand, he struck the demigoddess in the face, and she fell backward, her head hitting the ground once more.

Snarling, the once-demigod directed his gaze at the fallen blonde. His eyes began to radiate a cruel, cold golden light, like two miniature suns without warmth, as he spoke in a thunderous voice:

"For this offense, half-blood, you shall pay dearly," a cruel, cold smile crossed his face."But death shall not be your punishment. It is too merciful for you."

His eyes glowed even brighter as he channeled as much of the energy of time as he could into Luke's mortal body without causing it to disintegrate.

"I curse you, Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena. I curse you to be lost in history, lost in time, never to see your friends again. And when you feel safe, when you think things are going well, you will feel my curse again." As he spoke, he glanced at Percy, who remained frozen to the ground, though it was clear he was struggling against the titan's power. His green eyes conveyed his desperation and anger, adding to Kronos' cruel satisfaction.

"Luke... Family. You promised," the demigoddess whispered, trying to come to her senses. Her trembling fingers gripped the hilt of her dagger in a vain attempt to defend herself.

Kronos' malevolent grin widened. "Enjoy the hell I've created for you, daughter of Athena."

With that, a powerful beam of golden light shot from Luke's hands and completely engulfed Annabeth. It lasted only a second before it vanished, taking Annabeth with it, disappearing from existence before Percy's dumbfounded eyes.

And then all hell broke loose.