"You're dead," Jax croaked. "I watched you die."

Percy shifted his weight. He had to be a hallucination, Jax thought dizzily, some trick that the mother of monsters had conjured. Or another squidarium monster? But no; Percy had little tics that the monsters never got right: the way he flared his nostrils when he was anxious, or cocked his head when he was listening...

This was real.

This was Percy.

"Oh, he's dead," Sally said happily. "He's very, very dead. But I've called Persophecles back for one last special occasion, haven't I, pet?"

She rested a hand on his shoulder. Percy's throat bobbed.

"Jaxon." His cousin's voice was hoarse. "Run. Please."

Jax inhaled sharply. "Percy—"

"Before it's too late," Percy said.

His cousin's face was urgent. There was desperation there, Jax observed, but something very like fear, too. Something gave in his chest, like a bellows clamped together, all the air rushing out in one big gasp.

Sally ran a hand down Percy's chest. "I'm afraid it's already too late, precious. You're to fight each other to the death." She paused. "Well. Until you die, anyway, seeing as your handsome cousin's already dead." She retreated, holding up her hands like a flag ready to drop. "You may begin, champions!"

Jax shook his head. "I'm not fighting him."

A pulse thundered in his veins. Sally shrugged.

"Then surrender."

Jax licked his cracked lips. "And what happens then?"

"I feed you to my monsters," Sally said. "Along with your companions."

"Bloody hell," Asa muttered. "I knew we should have chosen Romes."

Jax squared his shoulders, sizing up his cousin. Percy was already dead; there was nothing he could do for him. But for Romes, and Xander, and Asa...

Resolve hardened in his chest.

He had a shot at saving them.

Jax yanked Wind-Singer from his scabbard. The sword was awkward in his clammy hand, and he adjusted his grip. Percy unsheathed his sword much more smoothly; the weapon looked like a natural extension of his arm, like he'd been born into the world to carry one.

"Don't do this," Jax murmured.

Percy shook his head. "I don't have a choice. The monster that..." His throat bobbed. "You know."

"Ate you?" Jax offered.

Percy nodded. "I wasn't going to put it that way, but yes. It sort of... did something to me before I died."

Jax paused. "What kind of thing?"

Percy's eyes darkened. "It's easier if I show you."

His cousin turned.

Jax stumbled back with a yelp, his sword dragging across the grass. Chunks of Percy's flesh was missing; teeth marks ran up his back, and alongside those were... Fins. Or spikes? It was difficult to tell at a distance, but Jax wasn't getting any closer than he needed to.

A retching sound came from behind him.

"Oh, gods." Asa wrinkled his nose. "I can see chunks."

Romes sighed. "I told Xan not to eat that jerky. It was definitely expired."

"I don't like food waste," Xander said weakly, from where he was bent over a patch of flowers. "It's not good for the planet."

"What happened to you?" Jax managed.

His gaze was fixed on his cousin. Slowly, Percy lowered his shirt; there was an odd light in his eyes, like a candle flickering at the bottom of a lake. "I'm a monster now. Or maybe I always was." Percy paused. "You certainly thought so."

Jax swallowed. "I never thought you were a monster."

"You should have," Percy said, "after all the things I did to you."

Asa held up a hand to shield his mouth, although his whisper was loud enough that he needn't have bothered. "So he's a... monster-ghost?"

"I don't know," Romes whispered back. "Seems like more of a zombie to me."

Asa scowled. "Don't be ridiculous. Zombies don't exist."

Xander held up a finger. "Well, there have been some interesting cases of reincarnated corpses that have repurposed carbon in order to—"

"Champions!" Sally lobbed a piece of banana cake, nailing Percy in the shoulder. "Kill each other already. I'm growing bored."

Percy's shoulders stiffened, and his hands wrapped around the hilt. A single bead of sweat trickled down his forehead. "Run, Jaxy. Please."

"I can't," Jax said. "I have to finish what you started." He raised his sword. "I have to save the world."

"Screw the world," Percy growled.

Jax stared. "But you— you're the chosen one. You can't say that!"

"I just did, didn't I?" Percy's muscles tensed. "Run. Please."

Sally lobbed another piece of cake. "Fight."

Percy swung. His teeth were gritted, and the muscles in his forearms flexed, as if he were trying to restrain himself. Not that it helped, Jax thought, jumping back to avoid a slice; his cousin still fought like a half-feral bear that had been rudely awoken from its hibernation.

Percy slashed. "I'm sorry about Maggie. I should have never asked her out."

"I—" Jax weaved. "You knew I fancied her?"

"I did."

Something stuck in his chest. "Then why?"

Percy lunged. Jax dodged, but he was too slow, and the sword caught his bad shoulder; hot blood trickled down his arm. Tears welled up in his eyes, and Jax blinked hard. The monsters sniffed, pawing at the ground, but Sally held out a hand.

"Not yet, my darlings," Sally cooed. "Wait until he's dead." She tossed a handful of sugared candies into her mouth. "You may continue."

Percy attacked. Jax threw his sword up just in time, and the clang reverberated through him. Blood roared in his ears. He would have been proud of his quick reflexes, Jax thought, if he wasn't so terrified that he was about to die.

"Honestly," Percy grunted, swinging his sword, "I was jealous."

Jax ducked. "Of me?"

"Of course I was."

Jax stared. "But I work in a flower shop. You're the Chosen One. The whole world wants to be you." He stumbled back. "Why would you ever be jealous of me?"

Percy slashed at his ankles. "You really don't see it, do you?"

"See what?" Jax demanded.

The sword caught his calf, and Jax hissed out a breath. This wound was deeper; he could feel it pulsating blood. Percy stared at the injury, his hands shaking slightly.

"You had everything I wanted," Percy said. "You had parents that loved you."

Jax shook his head. "Dad's always been disappointed in me. You're the son that he wanted, you're the fearless warrior that he—"

"Exactly." Percy's voice was bitter. "I'm the perfect warrior. That's all anyone saw." He swung. "Do you know I liked to paint?"

Jax ducked. "What?"

Percy spun. "I would crawl up onto the roof, and I'd paint as the sun rose. Landscapes, apples, swords, men I fancied... I'd paint until my blisters split open." He swung. "The paintings are still there, you know. Or at least, they were when I died."

Jax — who decided to store away the whole "men-I-fancied" thing for when his life wasn't in imminent danger — leapt back. "Why didn't you ever say anything?"

"I couldn't." Percy's smile was hollow. "Who wanted to believe that the fearsome Persophecles had a heart?"

Jax exhaled. "Percy..."

His cousin's voice was ragged. "Antonius loved me because I was the weapon that he always wanted. But your father loves you unconditionally." Percy's smile was sad. "He loves you as you are."

Percy jerked forward, like a puppet on strings. His sword caught Jax in the thigh, and Jax stumbled backwards, fire exploding across his leg. Percy kicked him in the chest. Stars burst in front of Jax's eyes, and he fell backwards, landing on the mossy floor with an oomph. Weight pressed into his stomach. Percy was kneeling on his chest, Jax realized dizzily; a sword was poised over his face.

"Jax," Romes cried, and the panic in her voice would have been flattering if Jax wasn't suddenly certain that he was about to die.

Percy gripped his wrist, as if he could stop himself from driving the sword down. "Jaxon." His fingers trembled. "Run. Please."

Jax gritted his teeth. "No."

"Jaxy—"

"No," Jax snarled.

Months later, Jax would still have no idea how he did it. Maybe it was the adrenaline. Maybe it was years of watching Percy run drills. Whatever it was, Jax shoved his cousin off, flipping positions so that his sword was pressed to his cousin's throat. Percy made a noise of surprise, his sword clattering away from his hand.

"Do it," Sally hissed. "Stab him."

The mother of monsters jumped to her feet. There was something hungry in her eyes, like a child looking at a candy bar. Jax's hand wobbled.

Sally drew closer. "He took everything from you." Her voice was hard. "Your parents. Your first love. Stab him."

Jax closed his eyes. He had to do this. For his friends. For his parents. For his village. What was one life, when it came to saving the world? A hero wouldn't hesitate to strike. A hero would be brave. Hot tears stung his eyes.

"I'm sorry," Jax murmured.

"It's okay." Percy's eyes fluttered shut. "Do it."

Jax raised his sword.

He threw it as far as he could manage. Romes let out a cry, but it was too late; Jax was already on his back, guiding Percy's sword to his throat.

"Do it," Jax said. "Kill me."