The Nature of a Demigod

Weight of the World

[Percy's POV]

The horrible thing was: I could see the resemblance. Y/N and his father's eyes were a picture perfect match, aside from the silver star-like dots in my friend's. Orion had that same cocky smirk I'd seen from Y/N so many times.

"Let my mom go," Y/N demanded. The titans walked closer to the chained goddess. "Perhaps you'd like to take the sky for her, then? Be my guest."

Y/N opened his mouth, probably to take the offer, but Artemis said, "NO! Y/N, do not offer. I forbid you." Orion chuckled, disgustingly. He reached down to touch Artemis' face. But the goddess bit at the titan. She nearly took off some of his fingers.

Orion continued laughing. "Yeah, you've still got that fight in you!" He cackled so hard, planting his sword in the ground, balancing on it. "I love it! That's what I always loved about you, sweetheart. You never quit! Even when I was already-"

"Enough." Y/N growled, his voice echoing off the walls of the mountain.

Orion quit cackling, and everyone looked at my friend. He looked ready for war. Atlas shook off the rumbling terror in the air, and chuckled. He ignored Y/N and looked at Zoe.

"You see, children? Lady Artemis likes her new job. I think I will have all the Olympians take turns carrying my burden, once Lord Kronos rules again, and this is the center of our palace. It will teach those weaklings some humility."

I looked at Annabeth. She was desperately trying to tell us something. She motioned her head toward Luke. But all I could do was stare at her. I hadn't noticed before, but something about her had changed. Her blond hair was now streaked with gray.

"From holding the sky," Thalia muttered, as if she'd read my mind. "The weight should've killed her."

"They're lucky it didn't." Y/N said, his voice quiet, but booming in our ears. "I don't get it," I said. "Why can't Artemis just let go of the sky?"

Atlas laughed. "How little you understand, young one. This is the point where the sky and the earth first met, where Ouranos and Gaia first brought forth their mighty children, the Titans. The sky still yearns to embrace the earth. Someone must hold it at bay, or else it would crush down upon this place, instantly flattening the mountain and everything within a hundred leagues. Once you have taken the burden, there is no escape." Atlas smiled. "Unless someone else takes it from you."

"Wasn't the most fun thing in the world. But you gotta do what you gotta do." Orion stepped forward, smiling confidently. "I was left to die, blind and alone. I got lost underground in the twists and turns of some tunnels. I had to retreat from the sun. One day... our little friend Luke found me, and gave me an opportunity."

He smirked like this were just a job for him. "All I had to do, was take the burden from the General to prove my strength. And my loyalty." He planted his blade back into the ground. "And when I did, he made me his lieutenant. Since then, we've done nothing but inch closer. We're this close to our goal, and you four think you can stop us?" He cackled.

The general stepped forward, and approached us, studying Thalia, Y/N, and me. "So these are the best heroes of the age, eh? Not much of a challenge."

"Fight us," I said. "And let's see."

"Have the gods taught you nothing? An immortal does not fight a mere mortal directly. It is beneath our dignity. I will have Luke crush you instead."

"So you're another coward," I said. Atlas's eyes glowed with hatred. With difficulty, he turned his attention to Thalia. "As for you, daughter of Zeus, it seems Luke was wrong about you."