The Travelling (Earth 2)

VII) The Confrontation

"Luke.." Annabeth said, looking distraught.
"Annabeth?" The boy said, turning a little pale.
"Percy kick his ass!" Peter snapped.
I ignored him, "Luke, you don't have to do this, I-"

"I don't need your help! Don't you see what the gods are doing to us? We're only slaves in their eyes!" He interrupted. He didn't even care that there were two well, me's in the room, he just kept staring at Annabeth, with a hurt look.

I glanced at Annabeth, she was close to tears, Thalia, looking the same.

"I'm sorry, I never wanted it to be this way, but I have to, he needs to rule, he will help us." Luke said looking at Annabeth and Thalia.

"You really think that? He'll throw you away as soon as you complete his job, he'll kill you!"

"The gods killed me A LONG TIME AGO!" He yelled.

"Please." Annabeth whispered.

"I have to do this."

Luke suddenly grabbed his sword, backbiter, and lunged to me.

"Look at yourself! Don't tell me your happy with your life!"

"I am!"

"The gods have ruined EVERYTHING! How could you still defend them?!" He said in-between swings. "Look at the situation you're in!"

I felt numb, I couldn't swing back, I couldn't do this to the broken friend standing in front of me, in the end, he was the one to save me. I couldn't fight back.

"Fight back you coward!"

"Luke.."

"No, you're weak! That's why you don't want to join me!"

He kept swinging tactically but I was much better after all my years of training. Swinging back would be unfair, I was too powerful, he was my friend.

I dodged and dodged until he suddenly made a cut on my face from my nose to my ear, it wasn't deep but it would leave a mark.

"Percy!" Annabeth yelled, helping me up along with Thalia.

Peter, Jason and Hazel stood protectively in front of me.

Luke looked disturbed. He didn't want this, he just wanted a loving father, he was manipulated.

"Luke," I called out from the ground, clutching my bleeding cut. "We can help you.."

"You're wrong, I want to do this. The gods deserve it. If you're going to stand in my way, I will run you over." He said calmly.

"That's not true, you don't want this!"

"But I do, I deserve the life that he promised. I deserve it!" He said, smiling manically.

"No.." Annabeth cried. "No, Luke you promised!"

Luke flinched at those words but he stood his ground.

"I promised we'll be a family and we will.. but without those gods, without all those people that stand in our way." He said, looking at Annabeth hopefully.

Annabeth didn't return the same expression though, she looked broken, like she couldn't believe what she was hearing.

I stood up again, "Where is Kronos." I wasn't asking, I was demanding.

I wouldn't hurt him but I needed answers, being intimidating was my best bet.

"Why would I tell you?"

"Because we'll kick your ass!" Peter yelled.

The others watched all this play out curiously.

"Percy, we all know I'm stronger than you."