Annabeth Chase and the Last Olympian

Chapter 27 - Luke stabs himself

I didn't have time to wonder how I, in my current near-death state, was holding the Titan Lord still. I had to end this, one way or another. 

"Luke," I groaned, gritting my teeth from the pain of my shoulder and the exertion of holding Kronos still. "I understand now. You have to trust me."

"Luke Castellan is dead!" Kronos roared at me, his breath hot as it washed over me. "His body will burn away as I assume my true form!"

Kronos pushed against me, but I locked my body still, desperate to hold him. His blade was tilted to me, so if I gave way at all, it would slice right through my neck. I could see Percy out of the corner of my eye straining to get to me, but it looked like Kronos had frozen him. Grover was unconscious somewhere. I was on my own and out of options. 

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

"Service to Kronos!" the Titan roared. "This is my fate." He pushed again and I barely managed to check him. The strength that had swarmed me was slowly leaving me, my arms and legs starting to shake and my vision becoming blurry. It was like holding the sky again but worse. 

"No!" I insisted, barely seeing Luke's face through the tears that were blurring my vision. Pain was making my head foggy. "That's not the end, Luke. The prophecy - she saw what you would do. It applies to you!"

"I will crush you, child!"

"You won't." A pleading note entered my voice. "You promised. You're holding Kronos back even now."

"LIES!" Kronos pushed again and this time I lost my balance. My arm twisted painfully and I thought I felt something snap as my hold on Backbiter was broken. I stood before him off-balanced and weak, but instead of stabbing me, he backhanded me across the face and sent me sliding across the floor. 

I ended up again at the base of my mother's throne, pain cascading over me. I could feel blackness creeping at the corner of my vision, trying to overwhelm me, but I forced them back with everything I had left. I needed to stay conscious. I needed to see this through. 

A shadow loomed over me and I looked up to see Kronos standing over me, Backbiter raised above his head. He was going to kill me. 

"Family, Luke," I croaked, feeling blood pool in my mouth. "You promised." 

Kronos' face twisted, like he'd been the one stabbed. His gold eyes were fixated on the knife I still held in my broken arm, even though I could barely grip it. 

"Promise," he whispered and then he gasped. His eyes widened and he stared at me in horror. "Annabeth . . ." he said, but it  wasn't Kronos' voice. It was Luke's. "You're bleeding  . . ."

He stumbled towards me, his eyes wide in shock. His body moved weirdly, almost like he wasn't used to moving it. Like he was a puppet.

"My knife," I whispered. I tried to hold it out but I couldn't move the arm. I glanced around helplessly and saw Percy still struggling nearby. "Percy, please . . ."

He suddenly surged forward and scooped the knife out of my hand. He swatted Backbiter out of Luke's hand, sending the blade into the hearth but Luke barely seemed to notice. His gaze was still on me, but he quickly turned an angry glare on Percy when the son of Poseidon stepped between us, blocking his gaze of me. 

"Don't touch her," Percy growled. 

"Jackson," Kronos's voice growled but then he gasped again and his voice returned to Luke's. "He's changing. Help. He's - he's almost ready. He won't need my body anymore. Please -"

"NO!" Kronos bellowed. He cast his gaze around for his sword and seemed surprised to see it in the hearth. Percy tried to get in his way as the Titan Lord stumbled to it, but he was easily knocked away, landing heavily beside me.