The Enemy of Destiny
The electricity discharged across the scrapyard, focusing entirely on Talos.
Even the nearby power poles suddenly exploded, as if they were releasing far more energy than they actually carried.
Though it only lasted a few seconds.
Before the electrical grid failed and completely cut off power.
Which caused the electricity to stop flowing through the scrapyard.
Though there still seemed to be electrical arcs moving between the objects left behind by the gods.
But Percy didn't stop to look at any of that and was the first to move, unafraid of being electrocuted.
His expression was one of deep fear.
Or rather, concern.
His mind kept replaying Bianca's thread of destiny from the day he met her, which hadn't been very long ago.
But from the very first day, that dark thread had shown him only one thing: a giant metal sword, the foot of a colossus that he could now assume was Talos, and Bianca's death.
That was why, throughout the journey, Percy had taken a path he normally never would've chosen.
The military vehicle with his mother.
The airplane with the severe turbulence caused by Zeus.
Everything in an attempt to avoid a cruel destiny he knew almost nothing about.
It wasn't until they entered this place that he began to feel that no matter what he did, he couldn't change destiny.
Even after Apollo had given him a few words of help.
Thalia, Grover, and Zoë also ran behind Percy, straight toward the giant that now lay sprawled across the scrap as if it were sleeping on a mountain of garbage.
Percy sprinted toward the hatch beneath the foot, ready to rip it open and climb inside to search for Bianca.
But before he could do so, the hatch opened by itself.
As a large amount of smoke poured out from within.
Or maybe steam.
Making Percy stop for a moment.
Then a head that seemed to have a lion's mane poked out while crawling and coughing.
The moment she emerged through the hatch, everyone recognized her immediately.
And they all let out sighs of relief.
It was Bianca.
Who appeared more or less unharmed and wore a thoroughly confused expression.
Her face was covered in soot.
Even Percy, who was now somewhat mute, couldn't help letting out a long sigh of relief when he saw she was alive.
"What happened? It suddenly got really hot in there. I thought I was going to be burned alive," Bianca asked with a confused expression, completely unaware that thousands of volts of electricity had probably surged through the body of the enormous metal giant.
And her own body didn't seem to have escaped completely unharmed either.
Because Percy stared at Bianca, noticing that the jacket he had lent her now bore unmistakable signs of electrical burns.
Even the fur that had once shone brightly, resembling a lion's mane, now looked duller.
As if it had lost part of its strength.
"A magnificent and dangerous power. The power that grants freedom. But not everyone wants freedom, nor does everyone deserve it. It is not changing it—it is breaking it. Breaking that which even the gods themselves are bound to. A power that, simply by existing, makes you the enemy of something far greater than the gods themselves. The enemy of destiny. And of those who watch over it and control it."
Percy heard that familiar voice.
As if it were poetry.
And if it hadn't been written so well, he would have known exactly who had composed it.
But Percy didn't focus on that.
Instead, his gaze focused above Bianca's head.
Where before there had been a black thread of destiny showing her death.
Now there was nothing.
Where there should have been some kind of thread of destiny, now that she had survived death, there was only emptiness.
And ever since Percy had gained the power to see the threads, this was the first time he had ever seen someone without one.
And honestly, he himself didn't know whether no longer being bound to destiny would bring great consequences upon Bianca or, on the contrary, grant her a great peace.
Even the words he had heard from the one he believed was Apollo did nothing to restore his calm.
Because in trying to change her destiny and break it, he might have caused something far worse for the young girl.
But for now...
Bianca di Angelo was alive against all prediction and destiny.
And the person responsible for that was none other than Percy.
Not by actively saving her the way he had imagined he would.
But through one small change.
Lending her his magical jacket made from the hide of the Nemean Lion.
Or, to put it more clearly.
Simply because she was close to Percy, she had received the grace of Miraak's disciple.
The one who is not bound by destiny.