chapter sixty-one

─── andi and i dye our hair matching colours

          𝕿he revelation came out, and I paused, looking between the two. The thing was, I could see the family resemblance. Zoe and Atlas both shared the same regal expression, cold eyes and vicious glare.

"Let Artemis go," Zoe demanded.

Atlas walked closer to the chained goddess. "Perhaps you'd like to take the sky for her, then? Be my guest."

Zoe opened her mouth to speak, but Artemis said, "No! Do not offer, Zoe! I forbid you."

Atlas smirked. He knelt next to Artemis and tried to touch her face, but the goddess bit at him, almost taking off his fingers.

"Hoo-hoo," Atlas chuckled. "You see, daughter? Lady Artemis likes her new job. I think I will have all the Olympians take turns carrying my burden, once Lord Kronos rules again, and this is the centre of our palace. It will teach those weaklings some humility."

I looked up at Andromeda, who was still on the floor by the pool, Annabeth resting next to her. Annabeth was trying to tell me something, motioning towards Puck, but I could only focus on Andi. Her hair had a long streak of grey, close to her temple, and her hands were scratched up beyond belief, but she was alive and sending me the grin that I'd fallen in love with.

"It's from holding the sky," Brooke muttered by my side, shaking her head. "The weight should've killed her."

"Andi's stubborn," I murmured, knowing what she was like. "She wouldn't have let it kill her."

"I don't understand," Brooke shook her head. "Why can't Artemis just let go of the sky?"

Atlas laughed. "How little you understand, young one. This is the point where the sky and the earth first met, where Ouranos and Gaia first brought forth their mighty children, the Titans. The sky still yearns to embrace the earth. Someone must hold it at bay, or else it would crush down upon this place, instantly flattening the mountain and everything within a hundred leagues. Once you have taken the burden, there is no escape." Atlas smiled. "Unless someone else takes it from you."

He approached us, studying Brooke and me. "So these are the best heroes of the age, eh? Not much of a challenge."

"Fight us." I glared. "And let's see."

"Have the gods taught you nothing? An immortal does not fight a mere mortal directly. It is beneath our dignity. I will have Puck crush you instead."

I did the only thing I knew how. I took a leaf from Andi's book.

"So you're another coward?" I said.

Atlas's eyes glowed with hatred. With difficulty, he turned his attention to Puck. "As for you, daughter of Hecate, it seems Puck was wrong about you."

"I wasn't wrong," Puck managed. He looked terribly weak, and he spoke every word as if it were painful. I almost felt sorry for him, but one look at Andi had me backtracking on that thought. "Brooke, you still can join us. Call the Ophiotaurus with the rune. It will come to you. Look!"

He waved his hand, and next to us a pool of water appeared: a pond ringed in black marble, big enough for the Ophiotaurus. I could imagine Bessie in that pool. In fact, the more I thought about it, the more I was sure I could hear Bessie mooing.

But, then I stopped, seeing Brooke shake her head. I focused on anything else; Andi, my mother, Annabeth, Thalia, Sally Jackson and her poker player statue.

"Brooke, call the Ophiotaurus," Puck persisted. "And you will be more powerful than the gods."

"Puck..." Her voice was full of pain. "What happened to you?"

"Don't you remember all those times we talked? All those times we cursed the gods? Our mother did nothing for us. She never even claimed us! The gods have no right to rule the world!"

Brooke shook her head. "Free Andromeda and Annabeth. Let them go."

"Please, Brooke, if you don't agree..." His voice faltered. "It's my last chance. He will use the other way if you don't agree. Please."

Brooke almost stepped forward, but I placed my hand across my path.

"No," Puck watched me, betrayal in his eyes as I shook my head. "We must fight them."

Puck waved his hand again, and a fire appeared. A bronze brazier, just like the one at camp. A sacrificial flame.

"Brooke, no," Zoe muttered.

Behind Puck, the golden sarcophagus began to glow. As it did, I saw images in the mist all around us: black marble walls rising, the ruins becoming whole, a terrible and beautiful palace rising around us, made of fear and shadow.

"We will raise Mount Othrys right here," Puck promised, in a voice so strained it was hardly his. "Once more, it will be stronger and greater than Olympus. Look, Brooke. We are not weak. Not anymore."

He pointed toward the ocean, and my heart fell. Marching up the side of the mountain, from the beach where the Princess Andromeda was docked, was a great army. Dracaenae and Laestrygonians, monsters and half-bloods, hell hounds, harpies, and other things I couldn't even name. The whole ship must've been emptied, because there were hundreds, many more than I'd seen on board last summer. And they were marching toward us. In a few minutes, they would be here.

"This is only a taste of what is to come," Puck grinned. "Soon we will be ready to storm Camp Half-Blood. And after that, the places of power of the gods. All we need is your help."

For a terrible moment, Brooke hesitated. She gazed at Puck, her eyes full of pain, as if the only thing she wanted in the world was to believe him. Then she levelled her knife, pointing it at his heart. "You aren't Puck. You're not my brother. I don't know you anymore."

"Yes, you do, Brooke," he pleaded. "Please. Don't make me...Don't make him destroy you. You're my sister."

There was no time. If that army got to the top of the hill, we would be overwhelmed. I met Annabeth's eyes again. She nodded. I looked at Brooke and Zoe, and I decided it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to die fighting with friends like this.

"Now!" I said.

Together, we charged.

Brooke went straight for Puck, sibling against sibling. She was muttering, and a moment later, his dragon-women bodyguards fled in panic, dropping the golden coffin and screaming in agony. But despite his sickly appearance, Puck was still quick with his spear. He snarled like a wild animal and counterattacked. When his spear met Brooke's knife, a ball of lightning erupted between them, frying the air with yellow tendrils of power.

The siblings were trying, at the same time as fighting, to write runes around them, attacking each other with magic as much as they could.

Again, I channelled Andi, charging straight for the Titan Lord Atlas. He laughed as I approached. A huge javelin appeared in his hands. His silk suit melted into full Greek battle armour. "Go on, then!"

"Luke!" Zoe said. "Beware!"

I knew what she was warning me about. Chiron had told me long ago: Immortals are constrained by ancient rules. But a hero can go anywhere, challenge anyone, as long as he has the nerve. Once I attacked, however, Atlas was free to attack back directly, with all his might.

I swung my sword, and Atlas knocked me aside with the shaft of his javelin. I flew through the air and slammed into a black wall. It wasn't Mist anymore. The palace was rising, brick by brick. It was becoming real.

"Shit," I muttered.

"Fool!" Atlas screamed gleefully, swatting aside one of Zoe's arrows.

The javelins point slashed toward me like a scythe. I raised Backbiter, planning to cut off his weapon at the shaft, but my arm felt like lead. My sword suddenly weighed a ton.

I growled, before the javelin caught me, sending me flying like a rag doll. I looked up and found I was at the feet of Artemis, still straining under the weight of the sky.

"Run, Luke Castellan," she told me. "You must run!"

Atlas was taking his time coming toward me. My sword was gone. It had skittered away, landing near Andromeda. Puck and Brooke were fighting like demons, lightning and flames crackling around them. Annabeth was on the ground, desperately struggling to free her hands and help Andi.

"Die, little hero," Atlas said.

He raised his javelin to impale me.

"No!" Zoe yelled, and a volley of silver arrows sprouted from the armpit chink in Atlas's armour.

I couldn't fight Atlas, I simply wasn't powerful enough. And then a chill went down my back. I remembered the words of the prophecy: The Titan's curse must one withstand. I couldn't hope to beat Atlas. But there was someone else who might stand a chance.

"The sky," I told the goddess. "Give it to me."

"No, boy," Artemis said. Her forehead was beaded with metallic sweat, like quicksilver. "You don't know what you're asking. It will crush you!"

"Andi took it!"

"She barely survived. She had the spirit of a true huntress. You will not last so long."

"I'll die if I don't have it," I countered, glaring at her. "Give me the weight of the sky!"

I didn't wait for her answer. I took out my dagger and slashed through her chains. Then I stepped next to her and braced myself on one knee—holding up my hands—and touched the cold, heavy clouds. For a moment, Artemis and I bore the weight together. It was the heaviest thing I'd ever felt, as if I were being crushed under a thousand trucks. I wanted to black out from the pain, but I breathed deeply. I could do this.

Then Artemis slipped out from under the burden, and I held it alone.

Every muscle in my body turned to fire. My bones felt like they were melting. I wanted to scream, but I didn't have the strength to open my mouth. I began to sink, lower and lower to the ground, the sky's weight crushing me.

Brooke caught my eyes, shaking her head. I had to fight back.

I concentrated on breathing. If I could just keep the sky aloft a few more seconds. I thought about Bianca, who had given her life so we could get here. If she could do that, I could hold the sky.

My vision turned fuzzy. Everything was tinged with red. I caught glimpses of the battle, but I wasn't sure if I was seeing clearly. There was Atlas in full battle armour, jabbing with his javelin, laughing insanely as he fought. And Artemis, a blur of silver. She had two wicked hunting knives, each as long as her arm,  and she slashed wildly at the Titan, dodging and leaping with unbelievable grace. She seemed to change form as she fought. She was a tiger, a gazelle, a bear, a falcon. Or perhaps that was just my fevered brain. Zoe shot arrows at her father, aiming for the chinks in his armour. He roared in pain each time one found its mark, but they affected him like bee stings. He just got madder and kept fighting.

Brooke and Puck went knife on spear, magic flashing around them. Brooke pressed her younger brother back.

"Yield!" Brooke yelled, tears in her eyes. "You never could beat me, Puck."

He bared his teeth. "We'll see, sister."

Sweat poured down my face. My hands were slippery. My shoulders would've screamed with agony if they could. I felt like the vertebrae in my spine were being welded together by a blowtorch.

Atlas advanced, pressing Artemis. She was fast, but his strength was unstoppable. His javelin slammed into the earth where Artemis had been a split second before, and a fissure opened in the rocks. He leaped over it and kept pursuing her. She was leading him back toward me.

Get ready, she spoke in my mind.

I was losing the ability to think through the pain but I forced a nod, even though the movement was excruciating.

"You fight well for a girl." Atlas laughed. "But you are no match for me."

He feinted with the tip of his javelin and Artemis dodged. I saw the trick coming. Atlas's javelin swept around and knocked Artemis's legs off the ground. She fell, and Atlas brought up his javelin tip for the kill.

"No!" Zoe screamed. She leaped between her father and Artemis and shot an arrow straight into the Titan's forehead, where it lodged like a unicorn's horn. Atlas bellowed in rage. He swept aside his daughter with the back of his hand, sending her flying into the black rocks.

I wanted to shout her name, run to her aid, but I couldn't speak or move. I couldn't even see where Zoe had landed. Then Atlas turned on Artemis with a look of triumph in his face. Artemis seemed to be wounded. She didn't get up.

"The first blood in a new war," Atlas gloated. And he stabbed downward.

As fast as thought, Artemis grabbed his javelin shaft. It hit the earth right next to her and she pulled backward, using the javelin like a lever, kicking the Titan Lord and sending him flying over her, I saw him coming down on top of me and I realized what would happen. I loosened my grip on the sky, and as Atlas slammed into me I didn't try to hold on. I let myself be pushed out of the way and rolled for all I was worth.

The weight of the sky dropped onto Atlas's back, almost smashing him flat until he managed to get to his knees, struggling to get out from under the crushing weight of the sky. But it was too late.

"Noooooo!" He bellowed so hard it shook the mountain. "Not again!"

Atlas was trapped under his old burden.

"Sucks to suck," I almost laughed as I heard a familiar voice, catching sight of Andi, who was cackling to herself as she stood.

Brooke backed Puck to the edge of a cliff, but still they fought on, next to the golden coffin. Puck had a bloody slash across his chest and his pale face glistened with sweat. He lunged at Brooke and she slammed him with a blast of magic, sending his spear skittering away across the rocks. Brooke put her knife point to his throat.

For a moment, there was silence.

"Well?" Puck asked. He tried to hide it, but I could hear fear in his voice.

Brooke trembled, her lip wobbling as she looked at her younger brother. Behind her, Andi stumbled to her side, free of her bonds. Annabeth helped hold her up on the other side, both of their faces streaked with dirt, blood and sweat.

"Don't kill him!" She called.

"He's a traitor," Brooke cried, hands trembling. "A traitor!"

In my daze, I realized that Artemis was no longer with me. She had run off toward the black rocks where Zoe had fallen.

"He's a teenager," Andi corrected. "A teenager who's been manipulated by Kronos. We can bring him back. We can take Puck back to Olympus."

I didn't know how Andi could even say that after holding the sky, but she did and I admired her even more for it. I groaned, trying to push myself to my feet despite all of my bones creaking in protest.

"Is that what you want, Brooke?" Puck sneered. "To go back to Olympus in triumph? To please our mother?"

Brooke hesitated, and Puck made a desperate grab for her knife.

"No!" Andi shouted. But it was too late. Without thinking, Brooke kicked Puck away. He lost his balance, terror on his face, and then he fell.

The girls rushed to the cliff's edge. The army from the Princess Andromeda had stopped in amazement. They were staring at Puck's broken form on the rocks. Despite how much I hated him, I couldn't stand to see what would be at the bottom of the fifty feet drop.

One of the giants looked up and growled, "Kill them!"

Brooke cried out in pain, clutching at her heart as Andi pulled her back from the cliff side. Annabeth took Brooke from the other girl's grip, dragging her towards the rocks as Andi rushed to my side.

"Luke." I didn't care that we were about to die, or that the world was seeming to end around us. I grabbed hold of her, kissing her with everything that my body had left. Her hands ran through my hair, clinging to my shirt. When I pulled away, both of us were breathless, and I could have cried at the feeling of her back in my arms. "You idiot."

"What?" Andi began to check my face over, before her hand brushed against my scar. 

"Why are you here? You hate this place, Luke. Are you alright?" She kissed me again, and I pulled her closer to my body. "Gods above."

"Please, don't ever leave me again," I clutched onto her, pressing my forehead to hers. 

"I'm not making any promises," She grinned, before pulling away as we stumbled towards the rocks after Annabeth and Brooke. My bones ached, my joints protesting with each step but I managed.

"Artemis!" I called. The goddess looked up, her face almost as grief-stricken as Brooke's. Zoe lay in the goddess's arms. She was breathing. Her eyes were open. But still...

"The wound is poisoned," Artemis said.

"Atlas poisoned her?" I asked.

"No," the goddess said. "Not Atlas."

She showed us the wound in Zoe's side. I'd almost forgotten her scrape with Ladon the dragon. The bite was much worse than Zoe had let on. Much worse than mine had been when I had battled the dragon. She had charged into battle against her father with a horrible cut already sapping her strength.

"The stars," Zoe murmured. "I cannot see them."

"Nectar and ambrosia," I said. "Come on! We have to get her some."

I crouched down beside her, pushing Zoe's hair out of her eyes as I tried to see if she had any cuts on her head. Her hand grabbed my wrist weakly, shaking her head as I faltered. I couldn't let her die.

The army of Kronos was just below the rise. Even Artemis was too shocked to stir. We might've met our doom right there, but then I heard a strange buzzing noise. Just as the army of monsters came over the hill, a Sopwith Camel swooped down out of the sky.

"Get away from my daughter!" Dr. Chase called down, and his machine guns burst to life, peppering the ground with bullet holes and startling the whole group of monsters into scattering.

"Dad?" yelled Annabeth in disbelief.

"Run!" he called back, his voice growing fainter as the biplane swooped by.

This shook Artemis out of her grief. She stared up at the antique plane, which was now banking around for another strafe.

"A brave man," Artemis said with grudging approval. "Come, We must get Zoe away from here."

She raised her hunting horn to her lips, and its clear sound echoed down the valleys of Marin. Zoe's eyes were fluttering.

"Hang in there, Zoe," I told her, squeezing her hand. "It'll be all right!"

The Sopwith Camel swooped down again. A few giants threw javelins, and one flew straight between the wings of the plane, but the machine guns blazed. I realized with amazement that somehow Dr. Chase must've gotten hold of celestial bronze to fashion his bullets. The first row of snake women wailed as the machine gun's volley blew them into sulphurous yellow powder.

"That's...my dad!" Annabeth said in amazement.

We didn't have time to admire his flying. The giants and snake women were already recovering from their surprise. Dr. Chase would be in trouble soon. Just then, the moonlight brightened, and a silver chariot appeared from the sky, drawn by the most beautiful deer I had ever seen. It landed right next to us.

"Get in," Artemis said.

Annabeth helped me get Brooke on board. Then I helped Artemis with Zoe, wrapping her in blankets.

"Andi," I wrapped my arms around my girlfriend's waist as I helped her into the chariot. As we did, Artemis pulled the reins and the chariot sped away from the mountain, straight into the air.

"Like Santa Claus's sleigh," Andi murmured, clinging to me as I held her up right, both of our muscles tremoring in pain. I nodded, leaning my forehead against hers as she sent me a small smile. She was alright. I had her back.

Artemis took time to look back at us. "Indeed, young half-blood. And where do you think that legend came from?"

Seeing us safely away, Dr. Chase turned his biplane and followed us like an honour guard. It must have been one of the strangest sights ever, even for the Bay Area: a silver flying chariot pulled by deer, escorted by a Sopwith Camel.

Behind us, the army of Kronos roared in anger as they gathered on the summit of Mount Tamalpais, but the loudest sound was the voice of Atlas, bellowing curses against the gods as he struggled under the weight of the sky.

∘☽༓☾∘

Hiya,

So, trust it to be Andi and Luke to ignore an army so that they can kiss each other. Idiots. But I love them and Andi's back so you got one more chapter from Luke's pov before it shifts back to Andi and that should be fun.

Let me know what you think,

Love Li xx