THE BATTLE OF THE LABYRINTH Percy Jackson ... - No one's invited.

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Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html something on a big rock—something long and thin and wrapped in a black cloth. Ethan was helping them open it. “Careful, fool,” thetelekhine scolded. “Onetouch, and the blade will sever your soul from your body.” Ethan swallowed nervously. “Maybe I’ll let you unwrap it, then.” I glanced up at the mountain’s peak, where a black marble fortress loomed, just like I’d seen in my dreams. It reminded me of an oversized mausoleum, with walls fifty feet high. I had no idea how mortals could miss the fact that it was here. But then again, everything below the summit seemed fuzzy to me, as if there were a thick veil between me and the lower half of the mountain. There was magic going on here—really powerful Mist. Above me, the sky swirled into a huge funnel cloud. I couldn’t see Atlas, but I could hear him groaning in the distance, still laboring under the weight of the sky, just beyond the fortress. “There!” thetelekhine said. Reverently, he lifted the weapon, and my blood turned to ice. It was a scythe—a six foot-long blade curved like a crescent moon, with a wooden handle wrapped in leather. The bladeglinted two different colors— steel and bronze. It was the weapon of Kronos, the one he’d used to slice up his father,Ouranos , before the gods had taken it away from him and cutKronos to pieces, casting him intoTartarus . Now the weapon was re-forged. “We must sanctify it in blood,” thetelekhine said. “Then you, half-blood, shall help present it when the lord awakes.” I ran toward the fortress, my pulse pounding in my ears. I didn’t want to get anywhere close to that horrible black mausoleum, but I knew what I had to do. I had to stop Kronos from rising. This might be my only chance. I dashed through a dark foyer and into the main hall. The floor shined like a mahogany piano—pure black and yet full of light. Black marble statues lined the walls. I didn’t recognize the faces, but I knew I was looking at images of the Titans who’d ruled before the gods. At the end of the room, between two bronze braziers, was a dais.And on the dais, the golden sarcophagus. The room was silent except for the crackle of the fires. Luke wasn’t here. No guards.Nothing. It was too easy, but I approached the dais. The sarcophagus was just like I remembered—about ten feet long, much too big for a human. It was carved with elaborate scenes of death and destruction, pictures of the gods being trodden under chariots, temples and famous world landmarks being smashed and burned. The whole coffin gave off an aura of extreme cold, like I was walking into a freezer. My breath began to steam. I drew Riptide and too a little comfort from the familiar weight of the sword in my hand. Whenever I’d approached Kronos before, his evil voice had spoken in my mind. Why was he silent now? He’d been shred into a thousand pieces, cut with his own scythe. What would I find if I opened that lid? How could they make a new body for him? I had no answers. I just knew that if he was about to rise, I had to strike him down before he got his scythe. I had to figure out a way to stop him.
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html I stood over the coffin. The lid was decorated even more intricately than the sides—with scenes of carnage and power. In the middle was an inscription carved in letters even older than Greek, a language of magic. I couldn’t read it, exactly, but I knew what it said: KRONOS, LORD OF TIME. My hand touched the lid. My fingertips turned blue. Frost gathered on my sword. Then I heard noises behind me—voices approaching. It was now or never. I pushed back the golden lid and it fell to the floor with a hugeWHOOOOM ! I lifted my sword, ready to strike. But when I looked inside, I didn’t comprehend what I was seeing. Mortal legs, dressed in gray pants. A white T-shirt, hands folded over his stomach. One piece of his chest was missing—a clean black hole about the size of a bullet wound, right where his heart should’ve been. His eyes were closed. His skin was pale.Blond hair…and a scar running along the left side of his face. The body in the coffin was Luke’s. *** I should have stabbed him right then. I should’ve brought the point of Riptide down with all my strength. But I was too stunned. I didn’t understand. As much as I hated Luke, as much as he had betrayed me, I just didn’t get why he was in the coffin, and why he looked so very, very dead. Then the voices of thetelekhines were right behind me. “What has happened!” one of the demons screamed when he saw the lid. I stumbled away from the dais, forgetting that I was invisible, and hid behind a column as they approached. “Careful!” the other demon warned. “Perhaps he stirs. We must present the gifts now.Immediately!” The twotelekhines shuffled forward and knelt, holding up the scythe on its wrapping cloth. “My lord,” one said. “Your symbol of power is remade.” Silence.Nothing happened in the coffin. “You fool,” the othertelekhine muttered. “He requires the half-blood first.” Ethan stepped back. “Whoa, what do you mean, he requires me?” “Don’t be a coward!” the firsttelekhine hissed. “He does not require your death.Only your allegiance. Pledge him your service. Renounce the gods. That is all.” “No!” I yelled. It was a stupid thing to do, but I charged into the room and took off the cap. “Ethan, don’t!” “Trespasser!”Thetelekhines bared their seal teeth. “The master will deal with you soon enough. Hurry, boy!” “Ethan,” I pleaded, “don’tlisten to them. Help me destroy it.”
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THE BATTLE OF THE LABYRINTH Percy Jackson ... - No one's invited.

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