Divergent Path

At Last

Chapter 21: At Last

The entire House of Night groaned and shuddered under the weight of the battle raging inside. Percy danced like a whirlwind through the remaining children of Nyx, who had all grown to fear him over the last year. Wielding Riptide, the demigod tore through a gaggle of Keres, half-human half-bat creatures. He cleanly cleaved the first three in half before roughly grabbing the last by the face, slamming its head into the wall so hard that its skull shattered.

Percy continued his rampage, his fists sparking with blue lightning as he whaled on Deimos, the god of fear. The child of night wailed as his sword shattered under the barrage of electric fists before a blow caught him in the chin and he exploded through the wall behind him. Percy had achieved the ability to use his Fists of Havoc repetitively for longer periods of time before they needed to regenerate. As the light from his fists dimmed, he gritted his teeth and faced the nearest wall.

Like every other time, his blood froze. But Percy didn't waver. He let the intensity build in his throat as the etchings in the cursed walls bore into him. Percy yelled as his heartbeat reached a crescendo, his eyes held wide open as burning hammers appeared in his hands and he burst into flames. Moros was stalking towards the demigod but he stumbled backwards, the explosion of fire knocking him away.

Percy grinned before he threw a hammer into the wall, disintegrating the twisted imagery as he whirled around towards the son of Nyx. Moros warily approached him with his spear, wading through the mangled bodies of his siblings that Percy had been decimating for the past hours. Percy charged the god of doom, who felt his own was imminent, and threw a flaming hammer at his head.

Moros parried the projectile, bracing as it exploded against the staff of his spear. He charged at the flaming demigod and they met in a brief clash of hammers against spear. The standstill didn't last long before Percy hooked his hammers around the weapon and yanked it towards him. Moros tripped forward and Percy ducked under the weapon before bringing a burning knee up into the god's face.

The god of doom let out an agonizing whelp as ichor gushed from his nose, followed closely by more from the side of his head as Percy cleaved an ear clean off using the sharp side of one of his war hammers. Moros clutched the side of his face and a sweeping kick from Percy brought the god to his knees. Percy allowed his flames to die out and he raised Riptide overhead to bring down on the whimpering god.

"Mama," Moros begged with his deep but now heavily trembling voice.

Percy felt a malevolent presence behind him and every hair on his body stood on end. He stomped on the god's face as he pivoted a hundred and eighty degrees, raising Riptide to guard from an attack he was certain was coming. The blade of a silver scythe slashed against the bronze sword, sending a piercing shing echoing across the room. The demigod exhaled sharply through his teeth as the impact fractured his left forearm.

But Percy pressed on as his adrenaline temporarily numbed the throbbing pain. He roughly shoved to the side as he leaned into his blade, giving him the opportunity to back away. Wielding the scythe, Nyx let out a sizzling laugh as Percy coughed from the smoke and ash billowing from her.

She stood leering down at the demigod before charging at him again. They exchanged dozens of strikes, the primordial of night laughing maniacally while Percy had to give each of his parries full power only to avoid being ripped in two. Nyx gnashed her teeth as the speed of her attacks increased. Percy's eyes widened when the power behind her blows slowly increased as well.

Nyx stepped back and lifted her scythe overhead. Percy again raised Riptide to block, taking a moment to brace his legs for the coming impact. The churning mass of the primordial let out a shriek as she tore down at the demigod at beyond impossible speeds. As the weapons met, Percy's legs rattled as they tightened and he thought his teeth would chatter right out of his mouth.