Blessed By The Gods: The Sea of Sorrow

Chapter 1: Listen to Your Heart

Prologue

The demigod's trainer's cheeks only sunk further as he watched his oldest student look sadly at the Long island sound, knowing that as much as he wanted to, he does not have any ability to comfort Annabeth Chase. Grover Underwood was probably the only person who can do as Chiron wanted to do now. Unfortunately, the results Grover is exhibiting only furthered the frustration of one of Chiron's oldest and one of his favourite students.

And because of the recent happenings, Annabeth Chase felt like she was carrying the whole world in her shoulders. She had just arrived at camp from scouting near California on her mother's orders, since Lady Athena felt that something big was going to go on in that area. Annabeth didn't like the quest, but she definitely knew more about California now. One, it was very close to the Sea of Monsters, and two, Mount Diablo… it was there. That isn't really a good sign.

Somebody clip-clopping made Annabeth look up hopefully. Grover looked sadly down at her, and she could definitely see her hopes crushing down. Annabeth looked down, glaring at the ground. Annabeth was a naturally though person, but this was a weak spot of her. She felt guilty, because of her coldness towards Percy, she pushed him towards Luke, who betrayed the whole camp. Luke, who was one of her closest friends, and Annabeth admired him fiercely, turned out to be one of the enemies. And last, which bothered Annabeth to the point of not sleeping at night…

Thalia's Tree was poisoned.

Clarisse and I started organizing patrols, but it wasn't enough to defend the camp. The nymphs we're on duty on trying to cure the tree. So far, we can defend the camp, but Chiron and I have noticed missing campers since… since Percy disappeared with Luke. We had suspected it to be Luke's doing. What was worse, I can believe that Luke would do that. He was never the same after his quest.

Beside, me Grover suddenly groaned. I looked at him in alarm, because past experiences with Grover made me know that he doesn't complain or talk about anything hurting him unless he's at death's door. "Grover?" He looked up, his eyes glassy, then conveniently fainted. "Grover! Medic!" I yelled at the Apollo kids playing basketball. Will Solace, the Apollo cabin counsellor turned to us, but raised an eyebrow, and then turned back to his game. You idiot, I'm calling for help.

"He's okay." A voice I associated with nymphs said, behind me. I turned to see a girl, wearing a dress with leaves—Juniper leaves—decorating most of it. "Greetings, Annabeth Chase. Grover used to talk to my tree so much about his friends." I blinked. I do not have time for possible forest creature romance when my 'supposed' brother is lost, possibly being tortured, my best friend and the person I admire is with my 'brother' torturing him and my friend's tree is slowly dying. The Juniper Nymph seemed to read my emotions, though Nymphs can only read emotions of satyrs and fellow nymphs. "I'm sorry. I know you aren't feeling your best today, but Grover is fine. His empathy link is just reacting very strongly right now." I clabber closer to Grover. "His empathy link with Percy?" Juniper nodded. "As I can read from his emotions, this 'Percy' is trying to close the connection, but the real emotion in his heart wanted to open the connection further. But he is angry. So angry." Juniper closed her eyes and put her palms on Grover's forehead. "Percy… where are you?" She said in a masculine voice, a little bit like Grover's.

"Why should I tell you?" She said in a more masculine voice, but the voice was sad, and angry.

"Because I'm your friend."

"Liar! I trusted you with my life, yet in the end you'll let your friends down and lead them to their deaths! Luke told me everything! Kronos has given me some of my memories, and I now know that you and that 'sister' of mine…" Juniper laughed bitterly, her voice still like Percy's. I stared at her in horror. Percy… has he really thought that were the enemies?

"I forgot, Ms. I'm so perfect is not mysister. I'm very glad for that. My time at Camp Half Blood is my worst. Worse than when I walked around the streets alone—oh sorry, you didn't know that, didn't you? Don't look for me or I might do something drastic to both of you. My allegiance is to Kronos now. Unlike both of you, he may be harsh, and cruel, but he doesn't lie to me. Both of you did. I know that you both know who my real Olympian parent is, and you didn't even bother to tell poor me. Goodbye Grover, please tell Annabeth; "Good Riddance."

"Percy—!"

Juniper broke off, and looked at me sadly.

I didn't realize that I had tears running down my cheeks until one fell on the back of my hand. "Percy… said that?"

Juniper nodded. More tears went down my cheeks. Grover was still unconscious, so Juniper and I took him to the big house, where Chiron attended to him. "Was it…" I nodded and turned away. "He's gone. He's allegiance is now with Kronos." I said in a voice I didn't recognize as mine. I felt like the world was coming apart. Thalia's tree is dying. Monsters are slowly but steadily invading camp. Luke's gone, and Percy had joined him. I know that since Percy himself said that he has hated us, but that isn't like Percy. Percy is a selfless person, and he would never abandon his friends. Was Luke really able to convince him? Everyone around me is changing. Because of me, Luke turned to Kronos. I, who knew him better than anyone, wasn't able to see the signs that he was lonely, and sad… because I was careless, I left Thalia's tree unguarded. Now it's dying. No.

I refuse to give up hope. Percy did not say that. He was just blind to his anger.

I won't let Percy change because of me, too.

Princess Andromeda

Luke smirked and jeered at Percy one last time as he closed the cell door. "Well done, brother. If you were really convincing, they won't look for you anymore. If not, well, let's see your camp in flames okay?" As soon as the door locked, Bianca ran towards Percy. She crushed the numb boy in her arms, not even getting a response from him. Percy was still staring holes at the spot where Grover disappeared when he cut the connection. "Percy…" Nico was crying on his leg. Percy looked down on him, face still expressionless. "Why are you crying, Nico?" The boy looked up at him. "Because you won't cry. I'm crying—sniff—for you." Percy patted his head, though his movements were slow, as if moving hurts for him. Bianca sat him down, and started laying his head on her lap. This has become a routine for them, after almost half a year of imprisonment. For the past few months, Luke Castellan has been forcing black shards of memories to Percy. Whenever he touched one, he absorbs it, which scares Bianca a little bit. Percy doesn't speak for a while, the longest for 3 days. Sometimes, he gets sick. Bianca and Nico have been trying all they can so that Percy won't touch the black crystals anymore. But Percy doesn't let them. Luke has been threatening him that he will attack camp if Percy doesn't comply. It took Percy a few weeks to, until Luke showed him an iris message of celestial bronze bulls attacking camp, well past the boundaries. He knew about the poisoning of Thalia's tree.

Bianca knew that the memories returning to Percy aren't his. She has read about it somewhere… in a black room with lots of books, where she read something about shards. It said that the colour of the memory shard depends on the colour of the person's soul. Since Bianca is the daughter of Hades, only she knew between her and Nico, she can see Percy's soul, clearly. It was stunning, his soul. It was very bright, a beautiful sea-green colour, and you can see that there's no sign of malice, or anything in it. Except for a few patches of black, which is normal, as all human beings are tempted and have dark thoughts. Now though…

Bianca strained her eyes, seeing through Percy's being. His soul… it was different. The beautiful and bright see green colour has faded. It was now dull green, like a jade. Everywhere in his soul, huge masses of grey and black grew.

"Percy… you know that those memories aren't yours. Kronos is tricking you. He is poisoning your way of mind. Think about it. Listen to your heart. It knows that Grover and… Annabeth" Saying the name sent something plunging in Bianca's stomach. She didn't know why, but she was instantly wary of this girl. "And Camp Half-Blood has been a home to you. The gods only did this to you to protect you. Personally, I even think that you willingly gave up your memories. You're that selfless." Percy closed his eyes, and finally… Bianca has never seen him cry, through the jeers, taunts, and the hurt his fake memories were inflicting him, he now did cry. She knew that if Percy released some of his suffering, he will feel better.

"I… I don't know how to separate what's real or what's not… "He said, tears flowing more freely. Bianca smiled at him. "Percy, believe on what you want to. What your heart tells you. I can honestly tell you that what you are fighting right now… it's what's evil. You are a sweet person, Percy. You always strive to look at the good side of others. What the memories showed you may be given to you in the worst possible light, or Kronos removed all the memories that showed you that the Gods loved you."

"Do you think…they really loved me as their own child?" Percy said, his forehead relaxing as Bianca smoothed his hair and Nico kept on squeezing his hand. "Without a doubt. You are not hard to love, Percy. You are strong, honest, and loyal. You're everything anyone could ask for." Bianca wasn't lying. Percy was really easy to love. Those words were her own thoughts, the way she really thought about the boy lying on her lap." Percy opened his eyes. The brightness of his sea-green eyes was startling. Bianca only had seen them so bright when he was very happy. The faded jade of his eyes has gone. Bianca could see his soul, there were still many splotches of gray, but his soul was brightening, becoming its past beautiful self again. "Beautiful." She whispered. Percy must really be feeling better, because he started joking.

"Did you just call me beautiful? I assure you, I am a respectable man and you may call me extremely-handsome, but never beautiful. It kind of feels wrong, you know?" He was smiling. Granted, it was one of his worse smiles, but it was still a smile. Bianca shoved him of her lap. "You conceited arrogant water boy." Percy laughed. It was quite contagious, and Nico and Bianca joined him. After laughing so hard, Percy took both of her hands in his. "Thank you, Bianca, Nico." He gazed at both of them, and Bianca could feel the ocean beneath them calm a bit, though white wisps of wind still swirled around the ship. Percy knew that he was the son of Poseidon, but there were still times that he couldn't control his emotions, influencing the ocean and sometimes the weather. Percy even knows where exactly they are, which is somewhere near the coast of Florida, just circling the sea near it.

"Anytime. Just listen to your heart, Percy." Warmth rushes to Bianca's cheeks, since there were the word heart, Percy, and her in the room. Why did she always have to forgot that Nico was there?

"Listen to your heart." Percy repeated, the smile widening in his face. "Thank You. I will."

I'm a line breaker!

Hullo Guys! I have updated! This is the new book of the PJO; Blessed by the Gods story! I hope you like the prologue! Sorry, this is a PercyxBianca moment. But don't worry, this is still a Percabeth story, so yeah! Keep on reviewing! But guys, I may not be able to update much, since school is starting and… I'M SO BUSY!

Over and Out.