Annabeth tightened her grip on her dagger. 6 months. That had all it had taken for everything-everything, to go wrong. She had just completed the fight against Gaea, and all was good. No more prophecies, no more quests, Percy and she could go to college together. But the gods had suddenly gotten a new opponent-one more powerful than even Gaea. With 2 months, the gods were usurped. This new opponent already had Olympus. The mortal world wasn't affected though. This new opponent didn't wipe out humanity.
As for the demigods, they formed the resistance. This opponent had troops controlling America, but the demigods took them down. A few months ago, a few weeks before this opponent appeared, the incident had happened. The gods weren't pleased with Percy for rejecting them, but it was only small nuisances. Like intestinally challenged cows, swords appearing in the wrong places, small cuts and bruises on the smallest things. Percy was starting to get annoyed, but he said nothing. He wanted peace. One day, Ares put a sword near her. And she almost walked into it, but instead of her stomach, her arm had a gash. Percy had been so mad, he challenged Ares right then right there. She watched the entire thing, and Percy had gotten the upper hand on Ares.
Ares cheated, and killed Percy. Annabeth had watched on in horror, as the moment when Ares plunged his sword into Percy, and huge sonic wave broke out, and Percy died there. Ares said a few words and flashed out. "The punk is dead" He flashed out. Annabeth ran to Percy. He smiled weakly and said two words, before he left. Left her life. "L-love you." He brushed her hair, and his arm went still in her hair. Instead of sobbing out loud, she gave silent tears. She touched his hand, the one in her hair. Millions of tears were just falling down her cheeks. "No Percy" she rasped. "Why?"
A few weeks after that, she was shunning herself out. The rest of the seven tried to comfort her, but she didn't care. He had turned down godhood for her. And he died for her. For a small thing that Ares pulled. Of course, that's when this new entity came out. It took down the gods in 2 months, but the resistance still resisted. Small tears ran down her cheeks. She was now the leader of the resistance. She had to be strong. For Percy.
"Leader, urgent new" Jason came through the tent. Annabeth wiped her tears, and put on a grim face. "Yes Lieutenant Jason?" "A new troop has breached the camp. They wanted to speak to you." "Are they peaceful?" Jason nodded. "Very well then, I shall be there in 3 minutes. Tell the troops that if they cause mass panic or any sort of attack or disruption, they shall face consequences." She said that bravely, but they both knew they couldn't do mass damage to the troops. They were created by the entity, and were basically indestructible. They were human, and did feel emotions, but she didn't know how he did it. Even gods couldn't just create humans like that.
Jason nodded and left, but looked at a picture at the wall. It was a picture of Percy and Annabeth. "We all miss him." He quietly said, and then left. Annabeth straightened herself. She missed Percy, but she wouldn't let it break her. She was going to be strong, she had to be. She grabbed her dagger and sheathed it. She stood up straight, and looked into her mirror. She still had her princess curls, she wanted to cut them off, but remembered how much Percy loved her curls. She still had her stormy gray eyes, but now they had an extra layer on them-a layer of sadness. She had a scar on her arm, where the sword had gotten her, but she also had a tiny little scar near her lip. But that was it. She looked older- it must be her eyes.
She was only 20, and was facing this. Most 20 year olds would be thinking about their life ahead. She was thinking about her survival. Her mother, Athena had told her that Percy was a disgrace. She had even disowned her. She was the same, but her demigod aura was lessened. She was almost a clear-sighted mortal. The hunters had also been like the resistance. They joined the resistance when Artemis went down. This entity took the gods down one-by-one. And slowly too. Now it sits in Olympus, enjoying the god's power. Shewalked outside and looked at the camp. It was a mess, and the worst thing about it, is that its first aura was gone. An aura of hope, that as a demigod you could have a life, and aura of happiness, that you've found your people, it just had an aura of sadness, acceptance.
She walked towards the forest and as expected, there was a crowd, with a bunch of troops in the middle. The crowd made way for her. There seemed to be a leader of this troop, and he looked oddly familiar but she couldn't tell. He reminded her of Leo-but Leo had went down after trying to rebuild Festus. He had wanted Festus-something, that was once his back. His mother, gone. His father, gone. Calypso, gone. He wanted Festus, but had one day disappeared, but there was blood all over his workshop. Signs of a fight.
He smiled at her, and she could almost see Leo in that smile. She almost smiled back. "Well, how can I help you?" She asked, suspiciously. The troop leader just shrugged it off. "Forget with the formalities, I'm Bob." Bob? That was a funny name. She knew he was lying, but didn't press it. "I don't know if you can tell, I'm Annabeth." Bob shook her hand. "I came here in peace, for our leader, had asked to speak to you, but he knew you wouldn't just come, so we have come here to answer any questions and possibly some favors if you wish." Annabeth raised her eyebrow. Speak to her? She wanted to meet this entity, but she did have some questions. "Well, would you like to sit?" The leader looked back to the troops. "We can talk in private, but some place for the rest of the troops would be nice." Annabeth nodded and looked to Jason. He understood and signaled he did. Annabeth gestured back to her tent. He nodded. They walked inside. He looked around her tent, until she cleared her throat.
"So, you can answer any of my question?" Bob nodded. "First of all, what are you? Our camps have tried, but you seem to be invincible. He smiled, as if already predicting that. "Most of us are created by magic, and then given life and invincibility. Almost like the Achilles curse, but without the mortal point. We do get tired, but not really. Some of us, like me, were demigods that were given options." Annabeth was surprised. "You were a demigod?" He nodded. She narrowed her eyes. "I had lost all hope, and our leader had promised me hope and happiness, something that I know have."
"He actually made good on his promises?" The lieutenant nodded. "Next question?" Annabeth continued. "Do you know what exactly this entity-you leader is?" She continued firing questions, and finally she was done. He had given her the vaguest answer possible, enough to pass, but barely. "One last thing." Bob looked to her, waiting. "I want you to display your powers." Bob raised his eyebrow, and thought about it. He decided 'yes'.
He walked out. "Do you want me to display it in a duel, or just show you?" Annabeth gestured for the latter. He nodded, and held up his hand. Out from it shot the 4 elements, and then some dark energy. Then he walked to the nearest tree and picked it up. Then he laid it out, and pulled out a sharp piece of wood. With his hands, he sharpened the wood, and then aimed it for his stomach. The sharp piece of wood broke upon connection with his stomach. Then, last, he ran 4 laps around the camp and wasn't even a bit breathless. "Of course, as troop leader I have slightly more powers than the rest of us, but we're mostly the same." Annabeth nodded, processing.
Bob held out his hand. Annabeth stared at him confused. "I made good on my part, your turn." Annabeth nodded. She took his hand, and then he whispered, "Close your eyes, or you'll get dizzy." Of course, being curious, she didn't. She wished she had. Within 30 seconds they were at Olympus. She got dizzy, and almost threw up. Of course, she didn't because she had a higher tolerance level. Bob smiled at her. "Told you to." She rolled her eyes. "Of course you did." Bob smirked.
"Let's just get this over with." Bob led her to the throne room, and then left. The throne room looked as it had before, except for instead of 12 thrones, there was 1. She saw in the corner a witch, and a man wearing a hood next to her. She walked near them. "NOW" The man told her. The witch started a spell, and a portal opened up. There was an aura of pure power coming from it. "Go in there and come back." The man told her. He had a deep voice, but she couldn't see his face. It was covered.
She refused to go. "I was only supposed to talk to you. I don't have to do anything you say." The man pretended not to hear her. "She can't hold it for long. Just go in!" Annabeth stood there with her arms crossed. The portal closed. The man balled his fists. The witch got up and left the room. "You foolish girl. Your stubbornness will cost us." "Why?" "That was the one chance that would give you equal power like me. You could've been the second most powerful being in the universe, and you just denied it. You could've ruled with me. You, foolish, foolish, girl."
Annabeth was now confused. "Why would I want to be anything like you? Why would I even want to rule with you?" She could almost feel the man grimace. He reached back and pulled his hood. She gasped. Those sea-green eyes. That black hair.
"It's me Annabeth."
((((((((((((())))))))