The surge of water dropped Percy and Kronos off way to the right of the fight.

"I was wondering where you'd gone, boy." He sneered.

"I was making deals with your kid, since it usually works out for me when I do." Percy grinned, circling with his grandfather. "Hades allowed me to bring back some people who know a lot about you and a lot about fighting. They're leading the charge against your army, which gives me the opportunity to take you on, one on one."

"You think those few will stop me? Half a dozen fighters will not make the difference in a war of hundreds, Jackson."

"No, but they'll provide the moral the rest of the fighters need to stop you. Again."

Kronos made a distasteful noise. "You know this won't stop me. If I lose this war I'll simply be back again. In a few years, in a hundred, I will be back no matter what."

"And you'll lose. Again and again. No matter how long it takes you to come back because the demigods will always be against you."

Kronos leapt forward, his blade flashing. Percy sidestepped lightly and lashed out with a counterattack.

"You're getting better."

"I've been training since I was eleven, no thanks to you."

"I didn't make you a demigod." Kronos growled.

"No, but you've been causing the ones who did make me a demigod a lot of problems and I always seem to get dragged into it."

"You could always just leave them to their own devices." Kronos attacked again. Percy locked swords with him.

"No, I can't, because my fatal flaw is loyalty. And you're infuriating."

"I'm surprised you can pronounce that word."

"I'm surprised you can speak at all." Percy shoved in close and pushed Kronos backwards.

"You know something, son of Poseidon?"

"Most people assume I don't." Percy slashed Riptide in a deadly arc at Kronos' head. The Titan ducked and slashed at his leg.

"We're not as different as people seem to think we are. You could-"

"Oh I know." Percy said calmly, cutting Kronos off. "We're both resentful, we both hate the gods and how they've ruined our lives. But that's where the similarities stop, old man."

He started a barrage of attacks, efficient and aggressive. There was no room for Kronos to fight back, he could only parry and attempt to keep the flickering blade away from his body. Percy was completely done with this, and he was going to show it.

"You think you could be better than the gods. You think you will be better than the gods, than anyone else ruling the world, but you want to destroy the humans and return the Earth to its former 'glory' when only celestial beings walked among the trees. Your idea of peace is to destroy those who oppose you and leave no witnesses to your crimes unless you know they can't overpower you."

Percy switched tactics, kicking Kronos in the stomach and shoving him backwards again. Then Riptide was flashing again, a deadly arc of light that danced and clashed with Kronos' sword.

"And that is why I'll never fight for you. I know that was what you wanted to push here, and you know you can't win without me, but as long as I'm breathing I will never, never let you destroy what peace our world has right now. The gods may not be perfect, they're actually pretty stupid, but they're.... Styx, they're so much better than you could ever be."

Percy slammed his sword forward and to his surprise, he actually got past Kronos' guard and drove Riptide deep into the Titan's stomach.

Kronos looked up at him, pain flashing across his face. "Congratulations, Perseus. You've bested me again...."

Percy pulled Riptide out of Kronos' side, frowning. Something told him the other foot hadn't quite dropped yet.

"I only have one request of you."

"And what is that?" The son of Poseidon said slowly.

"Perish." Kronos sneered weakly before going limp.

There was a sudden, piercing pain in his side. He reacted on instinct and swung Riptide in the direction of his attacker.

The Empousai exploded into golden dust with a shriek of fury.

Percy reached weakly for the pain in his side. His hand hit cold metal and he looked down.

The hilt of the knife was wrapped in leather, and the small crossguard was silver. Under the blood, of course.

"That's inconvenient..." Percy managed before collapsing next to the pile of dust that had been his opponent.