Playlist Part Four:
Last Words - Darren Korb
~*~
And so, that was how fifteen minutes later Percy found himself sitting with his friends around the ping-pong table in the Big House, anxiously tapping his fingers against its wooden surface.
His friends, along with Chiron, were all staring at him- Grover, Annabeth, Thalia, Jason, Nico, Hazel, Frank, Piper, Leo, Reyna, Rachel, and nearly a dozen other people all just looking at him.
Finally, Percy squeezed his eyes shut and took in a deep, unsteady breath. From behind him, he felt somebody gently rub his shoulder. "It's alright, my boy," Chiron comforted. "Just tell us what happened, and we'll do our best to assist you."
Taking in another breath, Percy nodded his relent, his eyes sweeping across the room, before falling back on his clasped hands. He couldn't bear to look at them a second longer.
"Kronos offered me a deal," he began, his voice cracking at the immediate uproar that filled the room. Wincing, he ran a shaking hand through his hair as he waited for the talking to subside.
"What kind of deal, Percy?" Annabeth asked, leaning forward and taking his hands. She didn't seem to notice the gold ring imprinted onto his finger, which had Percy heaving a silent sigh of relief.
"He... He swore to spare all the Olympians except Zeus, along with all of you guys- everybody at both camps- if I- I swore my allegiance to him." Percy's voice was bland suddenly, his eyes going dull. "There were a few other logistics, but-"
Reyna held up a hand, cutting him off. "Percy. Give us all the logistics right now." Her words left no room for argument, and quite frankly solidified Percy's suspicion that the trust for him at both camps was deteriorating quickly after the spectacle in the arena.
Scratching at his cheek, Percy nodded quickly. "In exchange for agreeing to his deal, Kronos swore on Chaos and the River Styx not to destroy the Olympians' thrones, and to treat them well unless they try to escape. They're not being tortured,- they're being kept in locked apartments on Olympus. He also said that you guys wouldn't be killed unless you tried to pull anything, and then, Chaos knows why, promised me two wishes, that have to be within reason." Percy made quotes with both his pointer and middle fingers at the last two words, his expression growing sour.
Something flashed in Reyna's eyes, and she marched forward, grabbing Percy by the shirt and heaving him up. "Perseus Jackson," she said, her voice deadly calm. "What. Did you. Agree to?"
"I had to," Percy's voice cracked out, his gaze skittering away, "-Or else he was gonna kill-"
He broke off as Reyna's expression darkened, and, nervously, held up his hands in relent. "I swore my allegiance to him. He turned me into a Titan. I'm- I'm a Titan, Reyna. I'm a Titan who has to marry him this Saturday."
Reyna dropped Percy like he was hot acid, and Percy fell back into his chair, his cheeks flaming gold in a mixture of rage at Kronos and embarrassment. It was quiet for a moment, just a moment, before the room erupted into a cacophony of fury. The shadows were all slinking towards a vengeful-looking Nico, Leo's hands were burning, Annabeth pulled out her knife and marched toward the door, only to be yanked back by a worried-looking Thalia, the lights above them flickered uneasily, before bursting as Jason paced back and forth underneath an unusually subdued Seymour, tapping his sword against the palm of his hand.
Percy was vaguely aware of Reyna grabbing his right hand and yanking it up, examining the gold ichor band burned into his skin. "This can't be real," she finally reasoned, her voice shaking dangerously. "You? You're marrying Kronos?"
The room had fallen into silence again, everyone frantically turning toward Percy, their expressions pleading, as if begging him to burst out laughing and yell 'Got you! Good joke!'
But no. It wasn't a joke. Percy was quite literally being forced to marry the King of the Titans.
"Y-Yes," Percy's voice cracked out, wincing at how nauseous a few of his friends looked. "Guys, I- I'm so sorry." Hot tears streaked down his cheeks, and he wiped at them with his free hand. "I'm- I'm so sorry I wasn't strong enough, I-"
"Percy," Nico murmured, suddenly appearing at Percy's side and gripping his hands comfortingly. "You're- you were only human. Nobody can blame you for not being able to take on a monster like Kronos. It's not your fault."
Blearily, Percy turned his gaze to the younger boy. "If I had just held out a bit longer, then-"
"Then what?" Jason suddenly cut in, squinting over at him. "The Olympians had already been defeated by Typhon and Python. What would've happened if you had killed Kronos, huh? We would've all fought Typhon?" Jason shook his head, incredulous. "This isn't your fault at all, bro. Not at all."
"You saved us," Annabeth declared, reaching forward and cupping Percy's cheeks. "You literally saved all of us. We don't blame you, Seaweed Brain." She gently wiped away his tears as they dribbled over his eyelids, before pressing a kiss to his forehead.
Suddenly feeling guilty, Percy quickly stood up, taking a few steps away from all of them. "You should blame me," he breathed. "Because, down in the coliseum, I- I disobeyed Kronos. He told me to sit, and- and I didn't." Percy made wary eye contact with his friends, one by one. "I used one of my wishes to keep him from torturing Zeus to death."
Hazel cocked her head to the side. "I don't get it. That sounds like a good thing-"
"Yeah, well it's not," Percy bit out. "Kronos is pissed. He- He told me I have to choose one of my friends to bring to him. As punishment for my disobedience." In front of him, Percy's hands began to shake. "I think one of you is going to die because of me."
...
After thirty minutes of much deliberating, Thalia, Nico, and Annabeth were still arguing amongst themselves over who was going with Percy.
It had become evident from very early on that Percy was hindering their conversation- each time somebody declared that, fuck it, they were going to go, Percy tried to shut down the idea. So, after about five minutes, he was kicked out of the room, along with Chiron to watch over him. To the best of the nearly thirty occupants in the war room's knowledge, Percy was asleep on some couch, with Chiron pacing beside him.
"Annabeth," Nico gritted out, slamming his hand on the table. "Listen. You're needed here. You and Jason- you're basically the leaders of camp. You have to stay."
Annabeth frowned, anxiously tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Nico, that's-"
"Besides," Thalia cut in, crossing her arms. "Let's say he doesn't kill whoever goes with Percy. Do you really want to be there and watch your boyfriend marry somebody else? Come on, Annabeth, back down. Percy wouldn't want you- especially you- to get hurt." She reached forward, her electric-blue eyes pleading as she gripped Annabeth's shoulder gently. "Do it for Percy, Annabeth. Stand down just this once."
Annabeth's gaze flicked back and forth between Thalia and Nico, and she opened and closed her mouth a few times, before tears welled in her eyes. Dropping her head in defeat, her shoulders shook slightly.
"It's okay, Annie, it's okay," Piper murmured, rubbing Annabeth's back. "Come on, let's go find Percy. You can hang with him while these two talk, okay?"
Letting out a helpless, strangled sob, Annabeth nodded, allowing herself to be led away by the daughter of Aphrodite.
The two girls made their way past the kitchen and into the sitting room of the Big House. Percy and Chiron were there- the former laying sprawled on the couch, his sea-green eyes boring up at the water-stained ceiling above him, and the later, sure enough, pacing, his hand beneath his chin. He looked to be deep in thought, and every once in a while his tail flicked anxiously.
Chiron glanced up as they stepped into the room. "Ah, girls." He frowned. "Is one of you accompanying Percy?" His voice was a bit tense, and his gaze flicked back and forth between the two of them.
"No," Piper replied, her voice soft. "Nico and Thalia are duking it out right now. They said that Annabeth should stay to help run the camp with Jason."
"They're right," Percy's subdued voice drifted over from the couch. "Annabeth has no business coming with me. I- I couldn't-" He sat up, rubbing at his eyes, before throwing the three others a helpless look.
"We'll leave the two of you to talk," Chiron said, before gesturing for Piper to follow him back to the war room. Piper trailed behind him, not before giving Annabeth a quick hug and Percy a wave. Percy dully waved back, before turning his attention to Annabeth.
"Annie," he murmured, his voice barely audible. "I'm so sorry, I-"
Annabeth held up a hand, shaking her head. "Stop apologizing. I mean it, I'm not listening to another word." She gazed levelly at Percy for a beat, before striding over and plopping down next to him, wrapping him in a hug. "Percy, you deserve so much better. Is there- is there anything I can do-"
Percy was already shaking his head, cutting her off. "No, Annie. Even for a Wise Girl like you, I think this problem might be a tad too big." He cracked a bit of a grin as he said her nickname, before his smile faltered. After a moment of silence, he whispered: "If- if things were different... And I had proposed to you, would you have-"
"I would have," Annabeth hummed, her smile sad. "Absolutely."
Percy gave her a weak smile. "I love you," he said, reaching forward and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
"And I love you," she replied. After a tense moment, she quickly leaned forward, pressing a quick kiss against Percy's lips, before breaking away just as fast. "Give him Tartarus, Percy," she instructed, almost exactly like Sally had, her eyes flashing with anger. "You go, and you give that monster Tartarus."
Percy gave her a soft grin. "Did you expect anything less?"
Annabeth opened her mouth to reply, when the front door to the Big House was thrown open, and Kronos stepped in. He gave Annabeth and Percy an unimpressed look, his left eye twitching at how close they were sitting. "Saying goodbye to the girlfriend, my dear? Or is she, perhaps, coming with us?"
Rising to his feet, Percy crossed his arms. "Annabeth is staying here," he said pointedly. "Sorry to disappoint you, love." He all but spat out the last word, like it was a bug that had flown into his mouth.
Looking vexed, Kronos arched a brow. "Well, then, who did you choose, Pers-"
"Me," a voice announced from the doorway leading to the kitchen.
Percy, Annabeth, and Kronos all glanced in the direction from which it had come from, Percy's and Annabeth's eyes widening upon seeing Nico di Angelo standing there and glowering at Kronos. "Percy chose me. I'm the scapegoat, you sadistic fuck."
Kronos blinked, before turning back to Percy. "He's as respectful as you, my dear."
Scoffing, Percy shook his head. "Yeah, well, he gets it from the best," he snarked, standing up and straightening out his shirt.
Nico looked like he was trying to decide between ripping out Kronos' throat and throwing up. "I can't believe he calls you that," he said to Percy. "I'd want to slit my wrists."
Ignoring him, Kronos beckoned Percy forward. "Oh, don't be upset with me, Perseus," he chided as Percy fixed him with a glare potent enough to curdle blood. "You did this to yourself."
"Because you were slowly chopping somebody up alive," Percy deadpanned as he stalked toward Kronos. "Of course I stepped in."
"It was a waste," Kronos retorted, his hands curling around Percy's wrists. "He was going to die anyway. You could've kept your wishes for something important."
"We have differing definitions of important." Percy's narrowed eyes met Kronos', and he clenched and re-clenched his hands into fists. "In fact, I think that our differences are completely irreconcilable. We should probably just not get married." He raised his eyebrows at Kronos then, as if to say 'your move'.
With a mirthless chuckle, Kronos yanked Percy against him so they were pressed flush together, one hand on Percy's lower back, atop his Achilles' heel, and the other thumbing at his jugular. Leaning forward with a dark look in his eyes, Kronos whispered very quietly in Percy's ear: "Shut up."
Percy jerked his chin away, his vision going red with rage as he glowered down at the ground. His lips pursed like he badly wanted to throw a barrage of insults Kronos' way, and his fingers flexed at his sides, his knuckles cracking.
"And, now that that's taken care of," Kronos drawled, letting his hands drop away from Percy, watching in amusement as the other quickly took three wide steps backwards. "We'll be off." He pointed at Nico. "Perseus, take di Angelo with you to the throne room. The order I just gave you stands until I tell you otherwise." He sneered at Annabeth then, as if just remembering her presence. "And, Annabelle-" his voice was low, taut with warning, like a thinly-veiled threat. "-Mind yourself."
With that, he flashed away in a burst of gold light.
Wordlessly, Percy shot a wide-eyed Annabeth a nervous, apologetic look, before gently taking Nico's hand and flashing the two of them to the Olympians' throne room.
"What'd he tell you?" Nico demanded the second they re-materialized at the stairs just in front of Kronos' and Percy's thrones.
With a strained expression, Percy mimicked zipping his lips shut and tossing away the key.
Nico's eyes narrowed. "You're not allowed to talk now?" His nose wrinkled in disgust. "You're not his fiance, you're his fucking slave."
Nodding his head in agreement, Percy flinched as the doors at the front of the throne room burst open, and Kronos strode in, Iapetus and Hyperion flanking him. The Titan King's golden eyes flicked back and forth from Nico to Percy several times, before resting on the later. "Perseus, go sit in your throne."
Like his feet were moving by themselves, Percy turned away from Nico, his hand falling from the other's wrist as he slowly walked towards his obsidian throne, shakily lowering himself into it as he watched the three Titans approach his friend, not unlike a pack of wolves stalking their meal.
"Nico di Angelo, spawn of Hades," Kronos all but sang, his eyes flashing. "It's very lucky that Perseus chose you, considering I have a few questions about your father's domain." A celestial bronze knife materialized in the air beside him, and he snatched it up with a flick of his wrist, spinning it over his fingers as he considered the boy before him.
Nico simply watched on, looking unbothered. After a beat, he said, "Do your worst, Kronos. And then fuck off."
To Kronos' right, Hyperion let out an incredulous laugh. "Demigods these days have no respect. Back in the Golden Age, I would've crushed you like a bug-"
He broke off as Kronos held up a hand, silencing him. "Most assuredly, Hyperion," he drawled. "The halfbreed will pay for his disrespect. As will Perseus." His eyes flicked over to meet the demigod-turned-Titan's, lidding as he sneered up at the other shifting uncomfortably in his throne. "Did you hear that, my dear?"
Across the room, Percy's eyes narrowed, and Kronos let out a biting laugh. "With no voice, you can hardly use that pesky last wish to save your friend. And, besides-" Kronos sneered, tapping his finger below Nico's chin and forcing the other to look up into his eyes. "-you only have one more, Perseus. One more wish, and so many friends. You can't protect them all."
Glowering, Nico jerked his face away. "You promised you'd let us live," he snarled, his eyes flickering like black fire. "Even you can't break an oath like that-"
"I'm not breaking it," Kronos said simply. "I'm not here to kill you, but I am here to hurt you. So, tell me Nico," he breathed, spinning his knife once more before grabbing it in his fist in a vice. "How did that miserable goddess Persephone blockade the Underworld?"
Nico was silent for a beat, before he burst out into sharp laughter. "You mean you still haven't gotten in? Some all-powerful Titan Lord you are."
"That's not an answer," Kronos remarked, before, faster than Percy could even process, stabbing his knife deep into Nico's gut.
Percy's face contorted in fury as he watched Nico crumple down to one knee, the seventeen-year-old's hands pressed against his stomach. When he pulled them away, his shoulders heaving, they were slick with red. Probably against his will, Nico let out a whimper as blood pooled out of his abdomen and down to the marble floor beneath him.
Hyperion, Iapetus, and Kronos all watched on despondently while Percy sat, visibly shaking, on his throne. In his head, he was screaming at Kronos, even though he knew the other couldn't hear him. You said you wouldn't kill him! You fucking promised, you sadistic, fucking son of a-
Kronos' gaze briefly flicked up to meet Percy's before falling away as he lifted his right hand, his pointer and middle fingers raised. In a motion that mimicked a clock's hand spinning in reverse, Kronos flicked his wrist, and suddenly Nico was gasping for air, quickly scrambling backwards from Kronos. Despite the blood soaking his clothes, he looked to be completely healed, and a sinking feeling churned in Percy's gut as he realized what was happening.
"That's right," Kronos breathed, his eyes shining with delight as he stalked toward Nico. "I can send you to the brink of death, heal you, and then do it all over again, so long as you refuse to assist me." He knelt down, holding the knife to Nico's throat. "Your move, spawn of Hades."
The younger boy was shivering, and although Percy couldn't see his face, he imagined that there was a mix of irate rage and fear in his eyes. After a moment of silence, Nico lifted his chin, giving Kronos better access to the veins trailing through his neck. "Go for it."
Bitter fury flashed across Kronos' face, and, with blinding speed, he grabbed Nico forcefully by his hair, slamming his head back into the floor with a sickening crack. "Tell me. Tell me where she's moved the entrances."
Nico responded by spitting bloody saliva at Kronos, who viciously backhanded the younger across the face. The son of Hades let out a pained cry, and Kronos gestured over his shoulder for Hyperion and Iapetus to approach. With mirroring impassive expressions, the two Titans stooped down on either side of Nico, forcefully gripping his arms while Kronos rose to his feet, his eyes meeting Percy's. "Come here, Perseus."
Shakily, Percy stood up. As he approached Kronos, his heart drummed louder and louder, his vision wavering at the sight of Nico drenched in blood. From the floor, Nico met his eyes, and Percy was slightly taken aback by the defiance burning in them.
He felt one of Kronos' arms sliding around his waist, and the other pressing the celestial bronze blade into Percy's hand. "It's your fault he's here, Perseus," Kronos whispered in his ear. His words were triumphant, and Percy could hear the smirk in the other's voice. "-so, for every minute your friend refuses to answer my questions, you shall carve one of my brethren's names into his back." Kronos' gaze flicked over to Hyperion and Iapetus. "Flip him over."
The two Titans did as they were told, easily flipping a struggling Nico over onto his stomach. Nico jerked his head to the side to stare with wide eyes over his shoulder at Percy, who was glaring silently at Kronos, his hand tensing around the knife.
Kronos simply studied the younger in amusement, before bending back down to Nico and yanking up the hem of his t-shirt. "I'll ask you again. Where did Persephone move the entrances?" Kronos paused then, tilting his head in consideration. "Or, an easier question. Where is Thanatos? And where did he hide the Doors of Death?"
Nico feebly kicked out at Kronos, who huffed, shaking his head. "And here I thought Hades had been the most cooperative of my sons. Perseus, carve your name here." He tapped the top of Nico's left shoulder blade, his smile tightening into a grimace. When Percy made no move to kneel down next to Nico, the Titan King turned his expectant gaze upwards. Upon seeing the pained look on Percy's face, he gave a short laugh. "Yes, Perseus. Your name. You're to blame, so it's only fitting we start with you." He patted the marble floor beneath him. "Sit and begin."
Throwing another noxious expression at Kronos, Percy rigidly dropped to his knees. Using one hand to brace himself beside Nico, his other hand quivered as he brought the knife down to his friend's skin. Just before the blade met Nico's shoulder, the younger boy met Percy's eyes again. "I don't blame you Percy. Not one little bit."
"Quiet," Kronos snapped, and Nico scowled.
"Fuck off." His curse turned into a hiss of pain as Percy scraped Kronos' knife across the younger's skin, shakily carving the first letter of his name. Nico was squirming underneath him, his breath hitching as he tried to muffled his sobs, his arms straining against Hyperion's and Iapetus' grips.
Percy was crying, too; silent tears that dribbled down his cheeks, diluting the blood on the floor as he worked, trying to make the cuts as shallow as possible.
About halfway through his name, it became too much. Percy gritted his teeth, squeezing his eyes shut and trying to collect himself. He was vaguely aware of a tugging feeling in his gut, like when he summoned waves and storms, but he didn't really know what it meant, and it was so faint that he was content to ignore it. That was, until Kronos drew in an angry breath from beside him.
"Who's doing that?" The Titan King demanded, and Percy's eyes flickered open again.
At first, he wasn't sure what Kronos was talking about- nobody had moved, and Nico remained on the floor, trembling under the Titans' grips. That was, until Percy thought to look down at Nico's back- the younger's skin was stitching itself back together all on its own, Nico himself visibly relaxing as the gaping strips of flesh that had been gouged out of him faded into nothing more than slightly red skin.
Livid, Kronos rounded on Percy, grabbing him by the shirt and dragging him forward. "Perseus, I swear on Chaos, that if-"
He broke off as Percy quickly raised his hands in relent, shaking his head. 'Wasn't me,' he mouthed, and Kronos arched a brow, his gaze flashing over to Hyperion and Iapetus, both of whom also shook their heads.
"Perhaps it is because his father is nearby," Iapetus offered after a moment. "He could be helping his son."
"Perhaps..." Kronos breathed. He was quiet for a moment, before shaking his head. "Nico di Angelo. If you do not swear your allegiance to me right now, I will order Perseus to torture that Annabeth girl until she has lost her mind."
Percy stiffened, the knife in his hands clattering to the ground, splattering droplets of blood across the marble. Shivering, Nico ducked his head against the floor, taking in a deep, shaky breath. The muscles in his shoulders tensed, before relaxing as he seemed to cave in on himself in defeat.
"I swear my allegiance to you on the River Styx," Nico all but spat, his fingers curling into fists and scraping into the skin of his palms. "Happy?"
Kronos smirked. "I will be once you answer my questions. And, Perseus?" He glanced toward the demigod-turned-Titan with a triumphant grin. "You may speak now. I'll call for you once this is sorted out. You're dismissed."
Shaking with rage, Percy rose to his feet. "No wonder Rhea hated you," he seethed. Without waiting to see Kronos' expression, he spun on his heel and strode angrily to the throne room doors, throwing them open as he stormed down the hallway, back to the minimal privacy his room provided him with.
~*~