The Crown of Kronos: Chapter 42

Zarana's POV
"Please." I exclaimed, lifting one leg after the other as we chased Paulo. "Break the time spell."

"How?!" Alex looked at me incredolously.

I groaned and took StormClaw in its key form. We were still moving in slow motion, but Paulo isn't. Ugh.

After StormClaw transformed into a sword, I lifted it up in the air. Lightning crackled from the tip of the blade, and there was a sound like glass shattering, and suddenly, blissful easiness shot up inside me. I blinked so hard tears built up, and then I noticed I broke the time spell.

"Come on!" Charlie shrieked and ran up ahead of us in top speed. Victoria moaned, the took wing and flew up behind Charlie. Paulo had reached the surface world.

I ran quickly with Alex and brought out my lightning bolt. But then Charlie tumbled back and screamed. Alex looked at me in horror.

"What now?"

"You go, I'll help Char." I said. She nodded and shadow-traveled up.

"Charlie?" I asked, helping her up. She touched her head and muttered something.

"Sh-she...She showed me Therese and Gordon." She uttered in a shaky whisper.

I scratched my head. "Who?"

Charlie looked at me with distaste and punched me.

"Ow!"

"Melinoe, Zarana!" She shouted. "She morphed into Therese and Gordon. Come on, you'll see."

Nodding, I hefted StormClaw in my hand and ran up the stairs again. The faint moonlight flooding in was getting larger, to my relief.

"Watch out." Charlie warned me and brought up Pallas and Sophia.

A misty figure appeared in front of us. It kept morphing into people until finally, it assumed a form. On one side, the left side, was an old woman with grayish white hair and a crinkled face. She has apricot lips, and a very kind look in her hazel eyes. She wore a wrinkled violet dress, like for a stroll in the park or something. In a pale, wrinkly hand she had a purse.

Charlie whimpered. On the right side, was an old man with thinning gray hair and a strong face, though worn and wrinkly too. He also had a kind look in light green eyes, and he wore a checkered polo shirt and black pants.

They smiled at Charlie, who sobbed sadly and held out her arms, but the man and the woman who was merged into one, refused to hold it.

"Sadness....misery...." They whispered tauntingly at her. "You have kept it all these years, and for years it had hardened you...poor, poor daughter of Athena."

Charlie wiped away her tears and she looked pale.

"How about you join us?" The ghost said. "It would be a relief, you know...."

It's time to stop Melinoe, for, of course, it was her. She's tricking Charlie to give up.

"Stop." I said harshly. Melinoe turned to me.

"Ahhhh...." She murmured in annoyance. "No ghosts! Like Percy Jackson!"

I swiped at her with my sword. Melinoe shrieked then turned into her real form, which I wouldn't like to describe to you since it's plain awful and gives me the chills.

"Charlie! Go!" I shouted at her. She snapped back to reality and threw Pallas at Melinoe. The goddess of ghosts only laughed and melted into gog. "Soon..." She snarled as she vanished.

I pushed Charlie up and we finally emerged at the Stonehenge. I saw the owl automaton, hooting softly, and Victoria grinning, leaning against the side of the owl. Alex was tying up a struggling Paulo with some thick ropes. She grabbed the golden piece from his hand and gave it to Victoria, who fluffed her wings excitedly and slipped it in her pocket.

"Hey guys." I said sheepishly. "Guess you handled freaking Paulo."

"Hey yo!" Alex said while planting a kick at him. "What took you guys so long?"

"Melinoe distracted us." I said, shrugging.

Charlie looked at Paulo. "What happened?" She asked.

"Well, we found him-" Alex kicked Paulo again, and he growled up at her. "Searching for the other pieces of the crown inside the owl."

"But I grabbed him by flying." Victoria put in. "And dumped him to Alex, who wrestled with him and tied him up." She said, smiling widely.

"Okay then." I said, joining them at the owl, who gave a loud hoot.

Then Paulo gave a menacing laugh and turned into shadows. "So long, heroes!" He shouted as he shadow-traveled away.

"Forgot he can do that." Alex muttered angrily.

We shrugged and climbed up the owl. The owl flapped its wings and soared into the sky.