Heartbeat - Childish Gambino
0:37 ━❍━━━━━ 3:01
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"Ok..." Y/N said. "I mean... I can see the family resemblance."

"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 center of our palace. It will teach those weaklings some humility."

Y/N looked at Annabeth. She was desperately trying to say something. She motioned her head toward Luke. But all Y/N could do was stare at her. He hadn't noticed before, but something about her had changed. Her blond hair was now streaked with gray.

"From holding the sky," Thalia muttered, as if she saw it too. "The weight should've killed her."

"I don't understand," Percy said. "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 them, studying the three demigods. "So these are the best heroes of the age, eh? Not much of a challenge."

"Fight us," Y/N narrowed his eyes. "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 Luke crush you instead."

"So you're another coward," Percy smirked.

Atlas's eyes glowed with hatred. With difficulty, he turned his attention to Thalia.

"As for you, daughter of Zeus, it seems Luke was wrong about you."

"I wasn't wrong," Luke managed. He looked terribly weak, and he spoke every word as if it were painful.

"Thalia, you still can join us. Call the Ophiotaurus. It will come to you. Look!"

He waved his hand, and next to them a pool of water appeared: a pond ringed in black marble, big enough for the Ophiotaurus.

"Thalia, call the Ophiotaurus," Luke persisted. "And you will be more powerful than the gods."

"Luke..." 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 fathers have done nothing for us. They have no right to rule the world!"

Thalia shook her head. "Free Annabeth. Let her go."

"If you join me," Luke promised, "it can be like old times. The three of us together. Fighting for a better world. Please, Thalia, 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."

"Do not, Thalia," Zoe warned. "We must fight them."

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

"Thalia," Y/N said. "You can't do this."

Behind Luke, the golden sarcophagus began to glow. As it did, Y/N saw images in the mist all around them: 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," Luke promised, in a voice so strained it was hardly his. "Once more, it will be stronger and greater than Olympus. Look, Thalia. We are not weak."

He pointed toward the ocean, and Y/N's eyes widened. 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 Y/N couldn't even name, all marching toward them. In a few minutes, they would be here.

"This is only a taste of what is to come," Luke said. "Soon we will be ready to storm Camp Half-Blood. And after that, Olympus itself. All we need is your help."

For a terrible moment, Thalia hesitated. She gazed at Luke, her eyes full of pain, as if the only thing she wanted in the world was to believe him. Then she leveled her spear. "You aren't Luke. I don't know you anymore."

"Yes, you do, Thalia," he pleaded. "Please. Don't make me... Don't make him destroy you."

Y/N glanced at Percy, who pulled out riptide, taking off the cap. He looked at Thalia and Zoe, and in that moment, he decided it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to die fighting with friends like this.

"Now?" He said.

"Now." Thalia narrowed her eyes.

Together, they charged.

.

.

.

Thalia went straight for Luke. The power of her shield was so great that his dragon women bodyguards fled in a panic, dropping the golden coffin and leaving him alone. But despite his sickly appearance, Luke was still quick with his sword. He snarled like a wild animal and counterattacked. When his sword, Backbiter, met Thalia's shield, a ball of lightning erupted between them, frying the air with yellow tendrils of power.

Percy sprinted at the Dracaenae, slicing off one of their heads. The others quickly recovered, turning on him.

As for Y/N? He decided to attack the Titan Lord Atlas.

Good idea.

He laughed as Y/N approached. A huge javelin appeared in his hands. His silk suit melted into full Greek battle armor. "Go on, then!"

"Y/N!" Zoe said. "Beware!"

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

Y/N didn't care though. He was very angry.

Aithon quickly morphed in a large bronze claymore, its edge glinting menacingly. With a yell, he swung the great sword directly in the titan. Atlas just laughed, blocking it with ease. He jabbed at Y/N, who lurched to the right, the shaft narrowly missing him. It didn't matter though. The titan sprung forward, kicking Y/N directly in the chest, sending him rolling across the ground. Y/N slammed into a black wall. It wasn't Mist anymore. The palace was rising, brick by brick. It was becoming real.

"Fool!" Atlas screamed gleefully, swatting aside one of Zoe's arrows. "Did you think, simply because you could challenge that petty war god, that you could stand up to me?"

The mention of Ares sent a jolt through him. Y/N shook off his daze and charged again. The javelins point slashed toward him like a scythe. He quickly morphed Aithon is a bronze sword, planning to cut off the titan's weapon at the shaft, but his arm felt like lead. The sword suddenly weighed a ton.

Ares's warning! Spoken on the beach in Los Angeles so long ago:

When you need it most, your weapon will fail you.

"Not now!" Y/N groaned. But it was no good. He tried to dodge, but the javelin caught him in the chest and sent the demigod flying like a rag doll. Y/N slammed into the ground, his head spinning. He looked up and saw the he was at the feet of Artemis, still straining under the weight of the sky.

"Run, boy," She winced. "You must run!"

Atlas was taking his time coming toward him. Aithon was gone. It had skittered away over the edge of the cliff in sword form. It would reappear on his wrist—maybe in a few seconds—but it didn't matter. He'd be dead by then. Luke and Thalia were fighting like demons, lightning crackling around them. Annabeth was on the ground, desperately struggling to free her hands.

"Die, little hero," Atlas said.

He raised his javelin to impale Y/N.

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

"ARGH!" He bellowed and turned toward his daughter.

Aithon shone brightly, reappearing on Y/N's wrist. He couldn't fight Atlas, no matter the weapon. And then a chill went down his back. The words of the prophecy: The Titan's curse must one withstand. He couldn't hope to beat Atlas. But there was someone else who might stand a chance.

"The sky," Y/N 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!"

"Annabeth took it!"

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

"You'd be surprised," Y/N said. "Give me the weight of the sky!"

He didn't wait for her answer. Y/N formed a sword, slashed through her chains. Then he stepped next to her and braced on one knee, holding up his hands, and touched the cold, heavy clouds. For a moment, Artemis and Y/N bore the weight together. It was the heaviest thing he had ever felt, as if he were being crushed under a thousand trucks. Y/N wanted to black out from the pain, but he breathed deeply.

Suddenly, Artemis slipped out from under the burden, and Y/N held it alone.

It felt like torture.

Every muscle in his body turned to fire. Muscles melting. Bones breaking. He wanted to scream, but He didn't have the strength to open his mouth. Y/N began to sink, lower and lower to the ground, the sky's weight crushing him.

He took in short gasps of air, his body trembling from the weight. Y/N thought about Bianca, who had given her life so they could get here. If she could do that, he could hold the sky.

His vision turned fuzzy. Everything was tinged with red. Y/N caught glimpses of the battle, but he wasn't sure if he was seeing clearly. There was Atlas in full battle armor, 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 maneuvered. She was a tiger, a gazelle, a bear, a falcon. Zoe shot arrows at her father, aiming for the chinks in his armor. He roared in pain each time one found its mark, but they affected him like bee stings. He just got madder and kept fighting.

Thalia and Luke went spear on sword, lightning still flashing around them. Thalia pressed Luke back with the aura of her shield. Even he was not immune to it. He retreated, wincing and growling in frustration.

"Yield!" Thalia yelled. "You never could beat me, Luke."

He bared his teeth. "Well see, my old friend."

Sweat poured down his face. His hands were slippery. Y/N's shoulders would've screamed with agony if they could. He felt like the vertebrae in his spine were being welded together by a blowtorch.

It wasn't just his body that was breaking. It was his mind, soul and will, all being reduced to nothing.

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 towards Y/N.

Get ready, she spoke in his mind.

His response was something like: Agggghh-owwwwwwww.

"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. 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.

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.

Y/N looked up, glancing at the massive form of the titan that was hurtling towards him. He didn't even have time to react as Atlas slammed into him, pushing him out of the way and sending him rolling.

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. Y/N tried to stand and fell back again, dazed from pain. His body felt like it was burning up.

Thalia backed Luke to the edge of a cliff, but still they fought on, next to the golden coffin. Thalia had tears in her eyes. Luke had a bloody slash across his chest and his pale face glistened with sweat.

He lunged at Thalia and she slammed him with her shield. Luke's sword spun out of his hands and clattered to the rocks. Thalia put her spear point to his throat.

For a moment, there was silence.

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

Y/N staggered forward, dropping to a knee. He looked up at Luke. An afraid, pale and hopeless demigod. No longer the evil and treacherous villain he knew.

"Thalia... wait." Y/N managed.

She trembled with fury. "A traitor," Thalia said. "You're a traitor!"

Luke looked at Y/nN, his eyes pleading. This was it. The last look Luke would ever give him. A look of sadness.

How could Y/N let that happen?

"Thalia," Y/N pleaded. "We can reform him. Bring him to Olympus. He... he'll be useful."

"Is that what you want, Thalia?" Luke sneered, his eyes flashing with anger. "To go back to Olympus in triumph? To please your dad?"

Thalia hesitated, and Luke made a desperate grab for her spear.

"No!" Y/N shouted. But it was too late. Without thinking, Thalia kicked Luke away. He lost his balance, terror on his face, and then he fell.

They rushed to the cliff's edge. Below, the army from the Princess Andromeda had stopped in amazement. They were staring at Luke's broken form on the rocks.

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

Thalia was stiff with grief, tears streaming down her cheeks. Percy pulled her back as a wave of javelins sailed over their heads. They ran for the rocks, ignoring the curses and threats of Atlas as we passed.

"Artemis!" Percy yelled.

The goddess looked up, her face almost as grief-stricken as Thalia'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?" Percy asked.

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

She showed the wound in Zoe's side. The bite from Ladon was much worse than Zoe had let on. 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," Y/N murmured. "Come on! We have to get her some."

No one moved. Grief hung in air. The army of Kronos was just below the rise. Even Artemis was too shocked to stir. They might've met their doom right there, but then there was 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!" Y/N told her, his own eyes brimming with tears. "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.

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

They didn't have time to admire his flying. The giants and snake women were already recovering from their surprise to the celestial bronze bullets. Dr. Chase would be in trouble soon.

Just then, the moonlight brightened, and a silver chariot appeared from the sky, drawn by gorgeous silver deer. It landed right next to them.

"Get in," Artemis said.

Y/N helped get Thalia on board. Percy and Annabeth helped Artemis with Zoe. They wrapped Zoe in a blanket as Artemis pulled the reins and the chariot sped away from the mountain, straight into the air.

"Like Santa Claus's sleigh," Y/N murmured, still dazed with pain.

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

Seeing them safely away, Dr. Chase turned his biplane and followed like an honor 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 them, 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. 

A/N: Zoe ded