Rick Riordan
The Titan’s Curse - 03
I'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 me.
"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.
I reached down and felt Riptide back in my pocket. I couldn't fight Atlas, even with a sword.
And then a chill went down my back. I remembered the words of the prophecy: The Titan's curse
must one withstand. I couldn't hope to beat Atlas. But there was someone else who might stand a
chance.
"The sky," I 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."
"I'll die anyway," I said. "Give me the weight of the sky!"
I didn't wait for her answer. I took out Riptide and slashed through her chains. Then I
stepped next to her and braced myself on one knee—holding up my hands—and touched the cold,
heavy clouds. For a moment, Artemis and I bore the weight together. It was the heaviest thing I'd
ever felt, as if I were being crushed under a thousand trucks. I wanted to black out from the pain,
but I breathed deeply. I can do this.
Then Artemis slipped out from under the burden, and I held it alone.
Afterward, I tried many times to explain what it felt like. I couldn't.
Every muscle in my body turned to fire. My bones felt like they were melting. I wanted to
scream, but I didn't have the strength to open my mouth. I began to sink, lower and lower to the
ground, the sky's weight crushing me.
Fight back! Grover's voice said inside my head. Don't give up.
I concentrated on breathing. If I could just keep the sky aloft a few more seconds. I thought
about Bianca, who had given her life so we could get here. If she could do that, I could hold the sky.
My vision turned fuzzy. Everything was tinged with red. I caught glimpses of the battle, but I
wasn't sure if I 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. Or perhaps that was just my fevered brain. 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 my face. My hands were slippery. My shoulders would've screamed with
agony if they could. I felt like the vertebrae in my spine were being welded together by a blowtorch.
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 toward me.
Get ready, she spoke in my mind.
I was losing the ability to think through the pain. My 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. I saw the trick coming. 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.
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