RED ¹ / Percy Jackson !

82

"LET ARTEMIS GO," ZOE DEMANDED.

Atlas walked closer to the chained goddess. "Perhaps you'd like to take the sky for her, then? Be my guest." 

 Zoe opened her mouth to speak, but Artemis said, "No! Do not offer, Zoe! I forbid you."

Atlas smirked. He knelt next to Artemis and tried to touch her face, but the goddess bit at him, almost taking off his fingers.

"Hoo-hoo," Atlas chuckled. "You see, daughter? 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."

Viviene's eyes fell onto the Castellan twins. She inched closer to Percy when she saw Luke's dangerous gaze, needing comfort.

Her gaze then found Annabeth's, who was desperetly trying to tell her something. Annabeth looked from Luke to Holden and then back to her. But all Viviene could do was stare at her. She 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 her mind. "The weight should've killed her." 

 "I don't understand,"  Percy 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."

He approached them, studying Thalia, Percy and Viviene. "So these are the best heroes of the age, eh? Not much of a challenge." 

"Fight us, and then we'll see." The son of Poseidon challenged.

"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," Percy said. 

 Atlas's eyes glowed with hatred. With difficulty, he turned his attention to Thalia and Viviene. "As for you, daughter of Zeus and Ares, it seems the twins were wrong about you."

"We weren't wrong," Luke managed. He looked terribly weak, and he spoke every word as if it were painful. "Thalia, you still can join us. Call the Ophiotaurus. It will come to you. Look!"

He waved his hand, and next to them a pool of water appeared: a pond ringed in black marble, big enough for the Ophiotaurus. Viviene could imagine Bessie in that pool. In fact, the more she thought about it, the more she was sure she could hear Bessie mooing.

"Thalia, call the Ophiotaurus," Luke persisted. "And you will be more powerful than the gods." 

 "Luke..." Her voice was full of pain. "What happened to you?" 

 "Don't you remember all those times we talked? All those times we cursed the gods? Our fathers have done nothing for us. They have no right to rule the world!" Thalia shook her head. "Free Annabeth. Let her go."

 "If you join me," Luke promised, "it can be like old times. The three of us together. Fighting for a better world. Please, Thalia, if you don't agree..." His voice faltered. 

"Viviene." Holden spoke up, taking a step towards her. Viviene shook her head, poinitng the tip of her sword to his chest."Please. We can be a family. "

"I'm not a traitor."Viviene said, glaring into his eyes.
A

"What good has Ares ever done to you?" Holden asked her, anger in his tone." He gave you those powers that will be the reason of your madness soon enough. I can help you control them, Luke knows a guy who can help you with them."

"All you want to do with me is turn me into a weapon." Viviene loudly said, her head shaking. "All you see is a weapon. "

""It's our last chance. He will use the other way if you don't agree. Please." Luke butted in, his eyes sad as he looked at the girl he called his sister.

"Do not, Thalia, Viviene ," Zoe warned. "We must fight them."

 Luke waved his hand again, and a fire appeared. A bronze brazier, just like the one at camp. A sacrificial flame. 

"Thalia, Vivene" Percy said. "No." 

 Behind Luke, the golden sarcophagus began to glow. As it did, Viviene saw images in the mist all around them: black marble walls rising, the ruins becoming whole, a terrible and beautiful palace rising around them, made of fear and shadow.  

"We will raise Mount Othrys right here," Luke promised, in a voice so strained it was hardly his. "Once more, it will be stronger and greater than Olympus. Look, Thalia. We are not weak."

He pointed toward the ocean, and Viviene's heart fell. Marching up the side of the mountain, from the beach where the Princess Andromeda was docked, was a great army. Dracaenae and Laestrygonians, monsters and half-bloods, hell hounds, harpies, and other things I couldn't even name. The whole ship must've been emptied, because there were hundreds, many more than she'd seen on board last summer. And they were marching toward them. In a few minutes, they would be here. 

"This is only a taste of what is to come," Holden said. "Soon we will be ready to storm Camp Half-Blood. And after that, Olympus itself. All we need is your help." He was now talking to Viviene.

"You aren't the Holden I fell in love with." Viviene said, her voice breaking as she turned her sword into a ring, facing Luke. " And you aren't my brother anymore." Instead, Atos was in her hand. "I don't know who you two are anymore."

"Yes, you do,  Vee," he pleaded. "Please. Don't make me... Don't make him destroy you."

There was no time. If that army got to the top of the hill, we would be overwhelmed. Viviene met Annabeth's eyes again. She nodded. 

 Viviene looked at Thalia , Percy and Zoe, and she decided it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to die fighting with friends like this. 

"Now," Vievine said, her voice a command.

Together, they charged.

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Next few chapters will be extra emotional. Just a warning.