I do not own any character of the series. This starts back as soon as members of the Seven return.
The day had been touch and go since the group had arrived. How does everyone react once back home after so much stress, destruction, and death? The camp buzzed with gossip as the ship loomed overhead and 1, 2, 3…6 demigods walked off, Percy and Annabeth being the last. They would soon learn over the next two days bits and pieces about what happened. Where was Leo? What happened? How was Percy?
Annabeth was off last because she now had to guide the ship with the information Leo gave her. But where was her laptop? The group slowly unloaded what few personal items they had with them in a box for each person, and it didn't take long for word to get around that Annabeth had lost her laptop and dagger. That just created more gossip; how does Annabeth lose her belongings? The Aphrodite cabin just awed at how often Annabeth and Percy were together, how close they always were, how their eyes darted quickly until finding the other. And ignored the pressing questions they heard.
The only resident of the Poseidon cabin smiled at everyone politely but timidly when he wasn't holding Annabeth's hand. He didn't go to the lake in his free time as much as he usually did in the previous summers, he just walked to the Big House and stayed there for hours. The second day they were their gossip got impossibly juicer; why did their leader have a Roman tattoo? The whole time the camp battled with and against them he supported them? He was taken from the camp but Percy Jackson developed a sort of Stockholm Syndrome for the only recently tolerated Romans?
The greetings only lasted five minutes to the camp before Chiron was trotting through the crowd and came face to face with the children pictured on his bulletin board. The couple embraced him immediately and started shaking. That was odd to the campers, but immediately understood. Percy hadn't seen him in months, no contact, and they had to travel back from Athens from another prophecy battle. Hades, the whole camp should be shaking.
Percy wiped his eyes and mumbled something to the centaur while grabbing the blonde's hand once more. The Apollo kid closest swore later that day that it was about IMing Sally Jackson. From there the group walked numbly to the Big House and didn't emerge until dinner. What were they talking about? What happened?
The group was aware of the staring as they lined up for their offerings before dinner. Piper shivered at the notion, remembering the awful voice and shaking earth that accompanied it in the name of an 'offering.' They all talked and waved to those they remembered before leaving, and after a brave camper from the Hecate cabin tapped Percy on the shoulders, making him flinch, and welcomed him back the table had cabin counselors arriving at the table every five minutes to give credit where it was due.
The group became livelier at that; after spending the day just starting to describe what happened, old friends and siblings were a site for sore eyes.
That night's dinner was the loudest one in months, almost starting a small celebration for the return of such vital parts to the camp. The gossip was heavy, and intense in the Dining Pavilion and later filled with speculation when the night came.
Everyone dispersed to their cabins after such an eventful day. Just as earlier, stares followed the campers and others acted as spies, vying for any information about the group's quest that they could tell their cabin triumphantly. Bragging rights were in the balance as the sun lowered completely in the sky. Someone had heard Annabeth threw her dagger in the ocean. Many speculated which animal killed Leo, and how he died since he was no longer with the group. A Hermes camper swore he heard that Annabeth and Percy broke up, but were just comforting each other. The same was then questioned for Jason and his girlfriend; were they together still?
The Aphrodite cabin spied on their mother's favorite couple across the camp. Percy and Annabeth stood by the entrance of her cabin hugging tightly. No one had to be a descendant of Athena to know what they were talking about and clinging to each other for. The last time Annabeth kissed Percy goodnight at the camp he was stolen by Hera and she was eft alone for months. Some didn't even pretend to not stare as the couple shared such an intimate moment.
The camp winded down after much buzz with small lights flickering inside the Athena and Poseidon cabins.
The first screams woke all demigods, created a mad scramble for weapons and armor, and had doors flying open at two in the morning. Was there a monster attack? Gods fighting again? Was the prophecy not complete? After the cries for help and loud bangs became louder a silence fell upon everyone.
This wasn't a monster invading camp. The prophecy did not have a round two. Those were the bloodcurdling screams of demigods in agony.
"PERCY! Where are you?" Heads turned to Cabin 6 as the realization came. They were having nightmares. What happened in Athens? The strongest people the demigods knew where now screaming loud enough to wake the whole camp without a fear of harpies eating campers.
Chiron was trotting out from the Big House on the hill. Piper ran into the Athena cabin with her sleep shoes slipping on dirt to help her friend as Jason ran to Cabin 3. Demigods didn't know where to look as Piper tried to soothe a screaming Annabeth and the lights flickered on in the Poseidon cabin. Why were Jason and Piper not having these terrible nightmares? No one knew if this was worth the gossip…this was just demoralizing.
Some turned their attention to the crashing that occurred in the Poseidon cabin. Was that water being splashed?
The window of the Athena cabin revealed shadows of a thrashing camper in her bed.
"WHERE'S PERCY? Why did he leave me?!" Gasps sounded as Chiron stopped as well, at a loss for who to go to first.
"Where's Annabeth?" The shouting of Cabin 3 turned into a thudding and yelling of a very much alert camper.
"WHERE IS SHE?" Jason emerged first, running out of the cabin as a terrifying looking Percy darted across the crowd. His face was contorted in pain and morphed into what looked like anger when he passed a child of Demeter who was in the way of the cabin entrance. Annabeth's sibling were scrambled next to the daughter and flinched with her as Percy passed and yelled to get out of his way.
"I CAN'T SEE YOU! I CANT-"
"I'm right here, wake up! Wake up!" The campers could hear Percy, whose voice was an indoor one now, change his tone to calm the disoriented daughter of Athena. If the camp hadn't been so confused and curious about what was going on they wouldn't have heard such a private conversation. But a radio silence continued as demigods were collectively gathered in sleepwear and armory to help friends who couldn't be assisted.
"-worry. Wise Girl wake up. I'm here, I didn't leave you." Piper walked out with a somber expression but was paid no attention as campers vied to hear the couple talking.
"You're here? Is this real?" Annabeth's voice was erratic and louder than Percy's as many fumbled forward to the cabin. Chiron trotted lightly to the outside of the doorway as the voices continued.
"We are at camp. I'm here with you. I didn't leave you. We're together." A sob rung out after the heartfelt words were spoken.
"I saw Nyx again, I imagined I opened my eyes in the Mansion of Night. Percy I thought I fell into the River," a sob rang out once more. "The pulsing was all I could hear. I couldn't find you! You got lost in the darkness."
They met Nyx? Mansion of Night? Campers immediately started a buzz of conversation while Annabeth's siblings huddled with calculated looks. The Hecate campers shifted uncomfortably, their grandma technically speaking was the cause of this breakdown from what everyone thought.
Chiron intervened and walked through the doorway and told them to go to the Big House with him. Campers shifted about, preparing to see what the demigods inside looked like.
"Campers thank you for being alert and prepared to be heroes tonight. Go back to your cabins immediately." His tone was stern despite the implied compliment, and his face worried.
The campers dispersed slowly to get a glance at the couple and the cause of the shifting and thudding inside the cabin. And as soon as they stepped out whispers swarmed the yard.
Percy had Annabeth nestled in his side and an arm covering her as he talked in her ear. Her hair overlapped with his because of their proximity. She had flip flops with a toe in the wrong place, indicating that Percy had slipped them on moments ago. Both were shaking as they stepped and whispered to themselves among the talking already going on.
The crowd froze and watched the complete and total wreck Annabeth was, Percy only being slightly better as his eyes flickered and blinked fast, as if trying to push something from his mind.
As soon as they wondering out of hearing range the Athena campers heaved and grabbed their head and hearts dramatically. One ran inside of the cabin.
"What happened to your sister?" They didn't register who posed the question and huddled around the book brought out of the cabin.
"Oh my gods. They couldn't have." The book was ripped from one set of hands to the next.
"There is no way they saw Nyx. It's impossible," the sister spoke up to respond to the mystery camper.
"Why?" Another asked.
"Well Nyx is doomed to Tartarus. Her Mansion? It would be there as well. And well… the river she mentioned could be the River Acheron from what we know of Tartarus. The only way to see her would be to visit in person. I- I think they were there," her voice broke.
Gasped, whispers, and speculation started up amongst everyone. Eyes turned to Jason and Piper for confirmation. They looked at each other and started running to follow their friends to the Big House. That was all the confirmation the campers needed. Their heroes had gone to Tartarus and back.
So what? It's my senior year and I started writing again, it feels great. This may develop into a short story, let me know if you want more or any suggestions in a review. Thank you for reading!