Percy In Tartarus

26: Octavian's Demise

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Word Count: 1,148 words

POV: Nico

Chapter 26: Octavian's Demise

As a son of Hades, Nico had witnessed many forms of death. He hadn't believed that anything death-related could surprise him anymore.

Apparently, Nico was wrong.

In the middle of battle, while Nico was cutting up a monster, Will Solace ran up to him and whispered one word in his ear: "Octavian."

That got Nico's full attention, and almost cost him his head as a rogue cyclops attempted to bludgeon him while he was distracted. Nico had hesitated when he'd had the chance to kill Octavian before, but there was no way Nico would let that scumbag augur escape justice this time.

Nico spoke through gritted teeth. "Where?"

"Come on," Will said. "Hurry."

Nico turned to Jason, who was fighting next to him. "Jason, I have to go."

Nico didn't give Jason time to react. He plunged into the chaos, following Will. The pair passed Tyson and his troop of cyclops. They were bellowing, "Bad dog! Bad dog!" as they bashed in the heads of the cynocephali.

Grover Underwood and a team of satyrs danced around with their panpipes, playing harmonies so dissonant that the earthen-shelled ghosts cracked apart.

Travis Stoll ran past, arguing with his brother. "What do you mean we set the landmines on the wrong hill?"

Will and Nico were halfway down the hill when the ground trembled under their feet. Like everyone else – monster and demigod alike – they froze in horror and watched as a whirling column of earth erupted from the top of the next hill, and Gaea appeared in all her glory.

Then something large and bronze swooped out of the sky.

FOOOOMP!

Festus the bronze dragon snatched up the Earth mother and soared away with her.

"What – how? –" Nico stammered.

"I don't know," Will said. "But it's not like we can do anything about that now. Come on, we have other problems."

Will sprinted toward the nearest onager catapult.

As they got closer, Nico spotted Octavian furiously readjusting the machine's targeting levers. The throwing arm was already primed with a full payload of imperial gold and explosives. The augur rushed about, tripping over gears and anchor spikes, fumbling with the ropes. Every so often, he glanced up at Festus the dragon.

"Octavian!" Nico yelled.

The augur spun around, then backed up against the huge sphere of ammunition. His fine purple robes snagged on the trigger rope, but Octavian didn't notice.

Fumes from the payload curled about him as if drawn to the imperial gold jewellery around his arms and neck, and the golden wreath in his hair.

"Oh, I see!" Octavian's laughter was brittle and quite insane. "Trying to steal my glory, eh? No, no, son of Pluto. I am the saviour of Rome. I was promised!"

Will raised his hands in a placating gesture. "Octavian, get away from the onager. That isn't safe."

"Of course, it's not! I will shoot Gaea down with this machine!"

Out of the corner of his eyes, Nico saw Percy rocket into the sky, a hurricane beneath him, Riptide pointed upward heroically. He was flying straight toward Festus. Lightning crackled in the distance.

Nico blinked furiously.

No.

That fucking son of Poseidon had just flown up into the sky like he was Jason Grace. And around Percy, storm clouds gathered. Thunder boomed.

"You, see?" Octavian cried.

The imperial gold on his body was definitely smoking, attracted to the catapult's payload like iron to a giant magnet.

"The gods approve of my actions!"

"Percy is making that storm." Nico slowly neared him. "If you fire the onager, you'll kill him and Leo –"

"Good!" Octavian yelled. "They're traitors! All traitors!"

"Listen to me," Will tried again. "This is not what Apollo would want. Besides, your robes are –"

"You know nothing, Graecus!" Octavian spat. He wrapped his hand around the release lever, eyes wide. "I must act before they get any higher. Only an onager such as this can make the shot. I will singlehandedly –"

"Centurion," a deep voice spoke up from behind him.

From the back of the siege engine, Michael Kahale appeared. He had a large red knot on his forehead where Tyson had knocked him unconscious earlier. He stumbled as he walked. But somehow, he had found his way here from the shore, and along the way he had picked up a sword and shield.

"Michael!" Octavian shrieked with glee. "Excellent! Guard me while I fire this onager. Then we will kill these Graeci together!"

Michael took in the scene – his boss' robes tangled in the trigger rope, Octavian's jewellery fuming from proximity to the imperial gold ammunition. He looked up at the dragon, now high in the air, surrounded by rings of storm clouds like the circles of an archery target. Then he looked down at Nico and scowled. Nico readied his sword.

Surely, Michael would warn his leader to step away from the onager. Surely, he would attack.

"Are you certain, Octavian?" Asked the son of Venus.

"Yes!"

"Are you absolutely certain?"

"Yes, you fool! I will be remembered as the saviour of Rome! Now, keep them away while I destroy Gaea!"

"Octavian don't do this," Will pleaded. "We can't allow you –"

"Will," Nico said, cutting him off, "we can't stop him."

Will stared at Nico in disbelief, but all Nico could think of were his father's words in the Chapel of Bones.

Some deaths cannot be prevented.

Octavian's eyes gleamed. "That's right, son of Pluto. You are helpless to stop me! It is my destiny! Kahale, stand guard!"

"As you wish." Michael moved in front of the machine, interposing himself between Octavian and the other pair of demigods. "Centurion, do what you must."

Octavian turned to release the catch. "A good friend to the last."

Nico almost lost his nerve right then and there.

If the onager really did fire true – if it scored a hit on Festus the dragon, and he allowed his friends to be hurt or killed – Nico would never forgive himself. But he stayed where he was. For once, Nico decided to trust the wisdom of his father.

Some deaths should not be prevented.

"Goodbye, Gaea!" Octavian cackled. "And goodbye, Perseus Jackson the Graecus!"

Octavian cut the release wire with his augur's knife.

And he disappeared.

The catapult arm sprang upward faster than Nico's eyes could follow, launching Octavian along with the ammunition. The augur's scream faded until he was simply part of the fiery comet soaring skyward.

"And goodbye, Octavian," Michael grunted. He glared at Will and Nico one last time, as if daring them to speak. Then he turned his back and trudged away.

Nico could have lived with Octavian's death.

Nico might have even said good riddance.

But his heart sank as the comet kept gaining altitude. It disappeared into the storm clouds, and the sky exploded in a dome of fire.

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