•as the world caves in•

•the final stand•

As soon as is started, Kronos went inside the lobby of the Empire State Building, to Olympus. I was having trouble standing, the pain really getting to my arm, and Grover peeled me away from a giant trying to breathe his frost of me, but Thalia dealt with him.

Nico helped us fend off the remaining giants. "Go! I'll keep things in check down here, you have to stop Kronos!"

"Percy, let's go!" I shouted, grabbing his hand as we ran inside. Thalia, Grover and Annabeth followed.

As we waited on the elevator, I tried to find some nectar or ambrosia, but I had nothing. I dug my nails into the palm of my hand at take the pain away from my shoulder and arm, but nothing worked.

As soon as we stepped out, we noticed the bridge to Olympus was dissolving, cracks everywhere. We had to jump to get across, but I could barely do that.

I tried, but that was a mistake, my leg slipped at the edge of the next tile and I slid off the edge, but Percy grabbed my hand. "Percy!"

"I got you!" He shouted, pulling me up. My heart was racing as he yanked me onto him and I fell on top of him. He grinned. "See?"

I scoffed, but my cheeks turned red. "Save the flirting for when we're not saving the world?"

"Need to have fun somehow."

I ignored his comment and followed after Thalia and Grover, Annabeth behind me to help with jumps. When we reached the base of the mountain, we looked to see no way back. This was it, the final stand of Olympus.

The way to the temple of the gods seemed longer, and the nature spirits and minor gods that laid made me sad, so much had been lost.

The mountain lurched when we finally reached the entrance, and a statue of Hera crashed down towards me, but Thalia shoved me out of the way.

Thalia's legs were stuck. My heart sank as I realized we couldn't get her out, that she was stuck for saving me.

"Hera has had it out for me all year!" I shouted. "Thalia, I'm sorry!"

"Cor, this isn't your fault," Thalia assured me. "I'll be fine, go!"

As much as I hated it, we had to leave her.

As we entered the throne room, I noticed Rachel and Hestia were missing and for once I was concerned for that girl.

Ethan was here with Kronos, and he glared at us. "My lord."

Kronos turned to us, his smirk just like Luke, everything was just like Luke and I hated it. Kronos turned his scythe into Luke's sword and I glanced to Annabeth, who seemed to know exactly what I thought. We nodded at each other very quickly before jumping into battle with Percy.

I turned on Ethan, who was trying to get behind Percy. I glared at the boy, slashing my sword at him, blocking his advances at me.

Eventually, Kronos got knocked down, and Annabeth tossed me her knife, and I tossed her my sword. I kicked Ethan away before lunging at Kronos, at Luke, before he slapped me away and sent me crashing into my mothers throne.

Annabeth leapt to me, defending me from Ethan, and we exchanged weapons again. It was dumb for us to switch, I didn't understand why we did, but Grover started growing grass and rushing to me.

My ears were ringing as Ethan and Percy, Kronos as well, argued until Ethan charged, but not at Percy. Ethan charged at Kronos and stabbed him in the back of the neck, but instead of killing Kronos, Ethan fell back and into a hole in the ground, to his death.

Percy turned to Kronos, his face etched with determination. Grover knelt down and fed me ambrosia quickly, and Annabeth was ready to defend me should Kronos near.

Kronos laughed as he slowed time, showing us what was happening, the battle below us was hopeless and the gods were useless against Typhon, but when the water blew up around the monster, hope filled me.

Poseidon had finally left his palace to join the fight against Typhon, and Kronos was not happy, started throwing a temper tantrum (as if he wasn't already).

Percy grinned as we watched the defeat of Typhon. "They're on their way. You've lost."

I jumped up when Grover got smacked and I glared at Kronos. "Luke, we understand! You have to trust us!"

Kronos snarled. "He is dead! His body will burn away as I assume my true form!"

I held both my sword and Annabeth's dagger, I assumed I knew what Kronos would do, what Luke would do, and it was either this went to plan and we won, or this went horribly wrong and we possibly got killed right here.

I was really hoping for the former.

"Your mother," I said. "She saw your fate."

"Service to Kronos, this is my fate!"

My fate. Luke.

"No!" I shouted, tears filling my eyes from anger and pain, and a little sadness. "That is not the end, Luke. The prophecy, it applies to you!"

Just a little more baiting.

"You won't. You promised me, you're holding Kronos back, even now."

"Lies!" Kronos shouted and smacked me away.

Kronos did exactly what I wanted him to, and I slid the dagger to Annabeth, who got ready to do her speech, but Kronos was quick to catch on. She got smacked right next to me.

Kronos stood over us, holding his sword, and I had one final thing to try.

As the pain began to really affect me, as my vision turned spotty and my head pounded, as my breathing became quicker and harder, I looked to him. "Family, Luke, you promised."

I don't really remember what happened next.

Luke, the real Luke, backed away, and as Kronos and Luke fought over control, Annabeth and Grover shielded me, protecting me and healing me quickly, as Percy took his final stand against Kronos.

Annabeth had given Percy the dagger and Percy was able to finally give the blade to Luke, only Luke could end this.

And he did.

I turned away as it felt like a bomb had just exploded, and when I turned back, Luke laid motionless, but alive.

I crawled to Luke, smiling at him. "You're back."

He grinned and nodded. "Not for long. There's no healing this." Luke looked to me. "Did you love me? Or you, Annabeth?"

I shook my head. "You were like a brother to me Luke, but I didn't love you."

I looked to Percy, my Percy, the way he was still here.

The world had almost ended, one of my best friends was dying, but the only thing that mattered was he was still here.

"There was a time I thought I did," Annabeth sighed. "But no, I don't love you."

Luke flinched, as though he expected it but it still hurt.

And then Luke died after muttering one final thing to Luke.

Percy held me in a side hug as we waited for the gods to arrive and when they did, I was so happy to see my mother.