Percy Jackson One Shots and Short Stories

#70 - Lieutenant Chase (AU) (Part V)

Chapter 70 - Lieutenant Chase (AU) (Part V)
published: Monday, 7 September 2020

She gasped. "Percy, the blade!" Annabeth unsheathed her knife. "The hero's soul, cursed blade shall reap."

Percy's brow furrowed in confusion, but before I could say anything, Kronos raised his sword.

"Wait!" Annabeth yelled, but she was too late.

Kronos attacked Percy like a whirlwind, and then they were trapped in a tangle of dangerous slashes and rapid parries. Their swords were a blur between them.

Ethan stood, dumbfounded, as he watched the duel ensue. Grover jumped into action behind them, playing uplifting music on his reed pipes that filled Annabeth with unfounded confidence.

The knife. The prophecy reverberated in Annabeth's head. She made it a habit not to dwell on prophecies, but now she couldn't get it out of her head. But that didn't make any sense? If her dagger was meant to reap—

A shiver rippled down her spine. Was she meant to kill Percy? Would Kronos use her knife to kill him? Reap his soul?

Annabeth's mind raced at light speed. No, no, Percy wasn't the hero the prophecy referred to. The hero was...Luke.

Electricity arced out from Hephaestus' throne, striking Kronos in the face. "Argh!" He crumpled time his knees with a roar, dropping Backbiter to the floor.

Seeing her chance, Annabeth leaped between Kronos and Percy, kicking Backbiter to the side. The sword skittered away as Annabeth slammed Ethan in the nose with the strongest punch she could muster. He staggered away, groaning in pain and clutching his face.

"Luke!" Annabeth shouted. "Luke, listen—" She barely got the word out before Kronos flicked his right hand and Annabeth was sent flying through the air.

Something hard and metallic slammed into her back, an audible crack echoing in her ears as the world spun around her. "Annabeth!" came Percy's frantic cry.

The world went black.

Then colours and sounds came back into her head, and Annabeth's eyelids fluttered weakly. Grover's music flooded the room, grass growing all around the floor.

Percy was yelling something at Ethan, the Japanese demigod staring at him like he was struggling between two impossible choices.

As she gradually regained consciousness, Annabeth realised that was sprawled on the floor, head resting on the cool marble as she feverishly watched Percy face down Kronos.

Suddenly, Ethan charged forward, and Annabeth managed to croak out "no", but he didn't attack Percy.

Ethan brought his blade down on Kronos' neck. The metal splintered into a thousand pieces, one of the shards embedding itself in his own stomach. Ethan stumbled back, doubled over in agony as Kronos snapped his fingers, and the ground opened up. The demigod disappeared, falling down into nothingness.

"So much for him." Kronos picked up his sword gingerly. "And now for the rest of you."

Percy had taken up a defensive stance, and Annabeth's only thought was to get to her feet and fight at his side because she didn't know how to live if Percy Jackson was dead.