Chapter 63 – A Monstrous Rage
On the other side, Percy, Annabeth, and Grover materialized in a flash of light right in front of the Empire State Building, the massive structure looming against the stormy New York sky. Thunder rumbled overhead, and the air felt thick with divine tension.
Annabeth said urgently: "Zeus and Poseidon are preparing for battle. We must hurry before the situation gets worse."
Percy said, looking up at the familiar skyscraper: "No, no. This isn't Olympus. This is the Empire State Building."
Grover said: "Friend, the pearl doesn't make mistakes. If it brought us here, it's because this must be the closest place to Olympus it could bring us."
Annabeth looked around and pointed toward the entrance: "Look, Percy. The entrance to Olympus is right there."
Percy said: "We should go now. We have only a few hours left before time runs out. It's better we arrive soon before the fight starts."
They then ran toward the Olympus door.
They then heard a voice calling from above: "Percy Jackson... you weren't supposed to have survived that."
They then looked up and saw Luke descending from the sky, lightning crackling around him.
Luke then looked at them and said: "I didn't expect to see you guys coming out of that alive." He then looked around and said: "I see you lost some people. Where's your nephew and your mom? Did you leave them holding Hades so you could escape?"
Percy said: "Dante gave me the bolt and told me to come deliver the bolt to Zeus. That's called trust. But I don't think you know what that is, do you?"
Luke said: "Be that as it may, I can't let you deliver that bolt to Olympus. I am the lightning thief."
Percy looked at Luke with rage and asked: "You hid the bolt in my shield. Why did you do that?"
Luke said: "When you said you were going to the underworld, the idea came. The perfect chance to sabotage the bolt for Hades."
Percy asked more: "Why would you do that, anyway?"
Luke said with rage: "To bring down Olympus once and for all."
Annabeth couldn't hold it and started laughing: "Ahahahahaha."
Everyone looked at her surprised.
Percy said: "What is it, Annabeth? Why are you acting like that?"
Annabeth said: "I just thought that if Luke had hidden the bolt and not given it to you, Percy, this war would have happened naturally. After all, Zeus would want to kill whoever he thought was responsible—or in other words, you and his sister. Or in other words, if you hadn't done anything else, Dante and Olympus would have gone to war. Or in other words, your brilliant idea is what made us find the bolt and manage to stop this war. So thank you, Luke."
Grover said: "Yes, thanks for your help."
Percy said: "It's too late, Luke. I'm going to return the bolt to Zeus and not let this war happen."
Luke smiled and said: "Not before time runs out."
He then threw himself at Percy flying.
Percy dodged, but Luke twisted mid-air, turning his feet and delivering a brutal kick to Percy's face. The impact sent Percy staggering back, blood trickling from his lip.
Luke then drew his sword and advanced toward Percy with lethal speed.
But Percy reacted faster—channeling the bolt's power, he swung it against Luke's sword in a clash of divine energy. Sparks exploded, and Luke's grip faltered, the blade flying from his hand.
Luke then kicked Percy hard in the chest, sending the master bolt skidding across the pavement.
Luke lunged toward the bolt, but Annabeth stepped in front, dagger flashing as she slashed at him. Luke twisted away, kicking her aside with enough force to send her sprawling, then snatched the master bolt and rocketed into the sky.
Percy, seeing him up there, shouted: "Luke! Why do you want a war between the gods?"
Luke said: "Control. They've been in power too long. It's time for our generation to take over and shape the world in our image. The world of new heroes."
Percy said: "You're not a hero."
Luke said: "Too bad. So since you think that way, you'll have to die."
He then pointed the bolt at them and unleashed a barrage of lightning.
Percy shouted: "Careful!"
They dove aside just as the bolt scorched the ground where they had stood, the explosion sending debris flying.
Percy rolled to his feet and dodged another bolt that nearly took his leg, the air crackling with ozone.
Grover hid behind a wall and said: "Well, I suddenly felt a lack of Dante and you guys, people."
Annabeth, who dodged a bolt by jumping aside, said: "So you preferred to be with him facing Hades?"
Grover said: "Well, you have a good point."
Percy then saw Luke climbing higher still.
Grover said: "What is he trying to do?"
Percy said: "I don't know, but I'm going to find out."
He then activated his flying shoes and shot after Luke.
Luke up there spotted a helicopter. He then gave a smile and when he was about to explode it, Percy appeared beside him and delivered a powerful punch to his jaw, knocking him off balance.
They then started falling while fighting over the bolt.
Percy said: "Luke, stop this!"
Luke said: "Not even dead, Percy. I'm going to be a god and it's not you who's going to stop me from achieving that."
He then kicked Percy hard in the ribs while firing bolts at him and chased him between the skyscrapers.
Percy dodged while Luke exploded the walls of the buildings around them, glass shattering and concrete crumbling in their wake.
Percy then dove into the building Luke had blasted open. When Luke followed inside, Percy dropped from the ceiling, kicking Luke square in the face. The impact made Luke drop the bolt.
Percy then quickly grabbed the bolt and rocketed toward the Empire State Building.
Luke, recovering, saw this and flew after Percy with rage.
He then saw Percy getting close and grabbed a dagger, hurling it at the wings of the shoes. The blade sliced through one wing, making Percy lose balance and plummet toward the buildings below.
Percy crashed onto a rooftop, the bolt skidding just in front of him. When he was about to get up to grab it, Luke landed in front of the bolt and picked it up.
Percy said: "Luke, you don't need to do this."
Luke said: "Maybe they're wrong and you're not Poseidon's son."
Percy then spotted several water tanks on the roof and smiled. "And maybe you're wrong and he is."
He then exploded all of them, creating a massive wave that slammed toward Luke, who tried to counter with lightning.
After all the water cleared, Percy looked at Luke lying on the ground spitting water, approached.
Luke, seeing that, got up quickly from the ground and ran toward the bolt.
Percy smiled and created a water trident, hurling it at him. It struck true, dragging Luke across the rooftop until he fell into a water reservoir below.
Percy then grabbed the bolt and Luke's shoes and flew toward the Empire State Building as fast as possible.
He then landed on the building.
Grover said: "Friend, you did it!"
Percy said smiling: "Yes. It was hard, but yes."
Annabeth said: "Let's go. There's not much time left."
They then ran toward the building's room.
Grover then saw a golden elevator. They entered it and pressed the button.
The elevator then started shooting upward at high speed.
After a while, the elevator doors opened.
Percy then stood impressed with Mount Olympus in front of him.
Grover said: "So this is Mount Olympus. Honestly, I'm impressed."
Annabeth said: "Come on. We have to go soon before it's too late."
They then ran at full speed toward Olympus ahead.
Already in the main hall of Olympus, the gods were arguing.
When Zeus, seated on the throne, shouted: "Silence!"
Zeus looked at Poseidon and said: "It's almost midnight."
Poseidon said: "It was predestined. You desired this battle."
Zeus shouted: "You're the only one to blame for all this!"
Athena said: "Please, let's be rational. War is not the answer."
Zeus said: "Time has run out."
They heard a shout: "Wait!"
They then looked in the direction and saw Percy running.
Percy then appeared and saw the giant gods in front of him and said: "Impressive."
Percy then approached and said: "My name is Percy Jackson. I think you're looking for this." He said showing the bolt.
They then approached Zeus to deliver the bolt.
Zeus said: "Aren't you going to kneel, mortals?"
Percy who had just delivered the bolt had no problem with that.
Grover got scared and knelt immediately.
When Annabeth was about to kneel, a giant spatial portal opened in the middle of Olympus and from it came Dante in his half-dragon form, with his darkness power burning all the air of Olympus.
Dante pulled Annabeth into his arms and said: "A wife of a dragon king doesn't kneel to anyone, understood?"
He then looked at Zeus and said: "So you're the big shit of Olympus. Pleasure to meet you, you shit." Dante smiling.
Zeus became furious and said: "How do you think you can talk to me like that?"
Dante said: "It's true. I didn't introduce myself to you guys."
Dante smiled and said: "A pleasure to meet all of you. I am the black dragon king, or if you prefer, Dragon of the End."
Zeus shouted: "Enough of your insolence!"
He then fired a bolt at Dante, who flapped his wings breaking the bolt into pieces and said: "You think I'm mortal and that a little bolt solves everything? Seems like brothers think alike. I just hope you don't end up like Hades."
Zeus said: "What did you do to Hades?"
Dante said: "I killed him. Unfortunately, since he's important to the underworld, I couldn't kill him once and for all."
Zeus shouted: "Monster! You want to enter war with Olympus?"
Dante said: "I am Poseidon's grandson. So technically it's a family fight."
Zeus was surprised hearing that.
Dante said: "And you didn't attack me even hating me, and by instinct, right? You felt that you have very high chances of dying if you fight me. So you haven't attacked yet."
Zeus said: "You're very arrogant, aren't you, kid?"
Dante smiling said: "It's a family flaw, right?"
While they were staring at each other, exploding their powers with Zeus' bolt hitting Dante's darkness, Athena stepped in the middle of Zeus and said: "Do you two want to destroy Olympus?"
Zeus stayed quiet hearing that.
Dante smiled and said: "I don't even care if Olympus ceases to exist."
Annabeth held Dante's hand and said: "That could affect Earth."
Dante hearing that stared at Zeus with rage.
Athena looked at Zeus and saw that he wouldn't say anything to not lose his pride. She then sighed and said: "What is your request, kid?"
Dante said: "I have no request. I came here to show my strength so that none of you here interfere in my life and my family's."
All the gods were shocked hearing that.
Zeus shouted with rage: "You threaten us with a divine war over mere mortals?"
Dante said: "They are not mere mortals. They are my family. And if to protect them a divine war is needed, let the war happen."
All the gods stared in shocked debate.
Athena sighed tiredly and said: "Well, now that you've given your warning, you can stop."
Dante said: "Just one more thing. Annabeth here wants to meet her mother."
Athena said: "I am her mother."
Dante pushed her in front of Athena and said: "There. Talk to your mother."
Annabeth hugged him and said: "Thank you so much."
Dante smiling.
When suddenly he felt something. He then stood still for a second. He then roared with rage that made Olympus tremble.
He then opened a portal to the real world and in the sky of the real world he roared, transformed into his complete dragon form. His rage made all the clouds on the planet turn black with night darkness, turning day into night.