The wind blew harshly against the seven figures standing on the crest of the hill. It whipped at their clothes and scraped their skin raw. Despite it being summer it felt like fall, the cold crisp air burning to inhale. The skies dark with stormy clouds foreshadowing the future. But despite all this, Percy felt determined. He felt warm and his heart beat against his chest as defiantly as he stood. He was confident they could win.
He looked at all his friends. His eyes swept over the other six demigods who bravely stood next to him as they faced certain doom. He knew, and they knew, that they were only seven measly demigods against an army of unstoppable giants. No gods were here. No gods were coming to their aid but he was sure that they could win no matter what.
He felt a cold wind bitten hand slip into his. He looked next to him at the beautiful blond staring with defiant gray eyes at the army massed below. He smiled and she smiled back. She nodded to him once but that simple nod spoke a thousand words to him. Next to her, Hazel and Frank gave each other a hug. Probably the last they'd ever share. Beside them, Leo stared down at the monsters and giants with a look of utmost anger on his normally happy features. It sent a shiver of fear up Percy's spine.
On his other side, Jason gave Piper a lingering kiss. Their eyes were sad as if they both knew something the others didn't. Pipers lip trembled as the brave daughter of Aphrodite whispered something into Jason's ear. Percy couldn't hear it but he knew enough to guess what she was saying.
He focused back on the giants. His final enemy. The last fight for the world. He nervously gripped Riptide in his sweaty palm as he swallowed thickly. "We can do this." He said. His voice was strong and he was grateful it didn't give way, that it didn't shake as much as his insides were. Around him his friends murmured in agreement. Together, the seven demigods ran down the hills with a battle cry that could have fooled anyone into thinking the whole world had taken up arms and charged.
Things didn't go bad immediately but it wasn't like the Fates had waited until the battle was halfway done before something bad had happened either. At first Percy could have sworn they were winning. The giants they couldn't beat of course, but the other monsters? Piece o' cake. They were surrounded on all sides and every once in a while he would see one of his comrades appear in a gap between the throng of monsters before they were surrounded again. But they were there, and they were fighting and standing and alive. And no one was hurt.
Until a blood curdling scream pierced the sounds of battle. Percy almost got decapitated as he tried to find the source of the human sound. And then his blood went cold.
The youngest member of the seven, young Hazel, her golden eyes wide with fear and shining with unshed tears, was in the grip of the giant king. He laughed gleefully as he held her in his grip. He tightened his hands around her struggling form and squeezed another painful scream out of her. He was teasing the seven. He knew they were surrounded. He knew they wouldn't be able to reach her in time. It was all Percy could do to try and fight his way towards her.
The entire world seemed to be going in slow motion. It was like when he had been sixteen and fighting Kronos again. The air was like liquid syrup and kept him from getting towards his friend. Tears streamed down her cheeks as Porphyrion tightened his grip. His eyes lit with sadistic glee as her screams rippled through the air until a sickening crunch abruptly ended her cries.
Her head lolled to the side, eyes wide but glassy in death and Percy could do nothing but watch as blood from her broken body began to seep from between the cracks in the giants fingers and fall onto the earth. He heard screams from his friends as they watched but he could do nothing but stare as the monsters around him laughed at the poor fourteen year old demigod, who's second chance at life had ended in a death worse than before.
He let out a wild cry as he lashed out at any monster daring to get in his way. He swung Riptide at the oncoming swarm of any hideous beast brave enough to face him. They all backed away from his glowing blade, giving him a chance to catch his breath and watch as once again, one of his friends died.
Because one of the screams he had heard from his friends had been that of Franks, Hazels boyfriend. His cry was so heart broken and tormented that Percy wanted so badly to shut it out. He watched with wide eyes as his friend changed into a ten ton elephant. He trumpeted loudly and charged full speed at the giant king who's grin only spread wider as he spread his arms to embrace the attack. He wasn't aware that an angry god, who's daughter had just been killed, was slowly sending shadows creeping around the giants form to tighten like ropes at a seconds notice.
Frank charged into Porphyrion and his tusks jutted from the giants back as he barreled into him head on. The giants smile turned into a surprised 'o' as he fell back. Immediately the shadows lashed out and tightened around him, tying his giant form to the ground. He wailed in pain as Frank began to gore him again and again with his white, blood stained tusks. Porphyrion began to fade as Hades and Frank destroyed him in the name of Hazel Levesque.
But the enemy still had the last laugh. With weakening efforts Porphyrion managed to break Franks gray leathery skin with his nails as he hopelessly clawed at Franks leg before he finally disappeared. Frank trumpeted triumphantly.
"Frank!" Percy screamed as he swung at a charging Cyclops. "Frank, your leg!" He ducked and rolled as an Earthborn swung at his head. He dared a chance to look at where Frank had been only to see a giant eagle rising steadily into the air and climbing higher and higher until a single arrow sprouted from his wing and he began to plummet to the ground. "No!" Percy cried as he swung Riptide at the legs of a Hellhound and began running towards his falling friend. "No no no!"
He saw Frank disappear among the monster army. He saw the ancient beings swarm over his body with malicious glee. He saw the blood flying into the air, bright red. But he felt rather than saw, the earth roll like a wave and toss both him and the monsters to the ground.
He barely managed to avoid being impaled by his own blade as he fell to the earth. His vision swam as he tried to catch his breath back. He pushed himself to his feet only to fall again as the earth rolled like the stormy ocean and flung him into the air once again. Riptide flew from his hands but it didn't matter as he blacked out as soon as he landed.
When he regained consciousness his head lolled to the side only for his vision to be filled with piles and piles of golden monster dust which was strange as he was pretty sure they hadn't destroyed all the monsters before Gaea's awakening. He pushed himself up with a groan as his head throbbed painfully. He stood unsteadily and looked around slowly to see his friends and twelve powerful gods looking around as well.
He stumbled his way towards them but stopped when something bloody and small came across his path, a strange huddle of flesh on the dust covered ground. He took a hesitant step closer and knelt before the broken form. He could hear quiet steps drawing nearer as he stared with unseeing eyes at he body before him.
"Hazel...?" He chocked out as his eyes blurred with tears. He felt arms wrap around him but he didn't notice. A sob burst out and it took a second for him to realize it had come from him. But that was understandable. Because the girl who had first greeted him at Camp Jupiter, who had showed him around and stood for him, was lying with a wide, glazed eyes. Her mouth was open and blood trickled from the corner before dropping onto the ground.
But that wasn't the only place blood seeped from. Bits of white bone poked out from her skin where the grip of the giant king had broke them. Tears leaked from Percy's eyes as his body shook with mangled sobs.
He turned to look at Annabeth and he struggled to let out his words. "Is-is Frank alright?" He asked but her eyes told him all he needed to know. The blood, Gaea awakening, it only proved what he was trying so hard to deny. He gripped his head in his hands and stared at the hard earth. He heard the others crying around him but he continued to simply look down as tears dropped one by one into the dark red puddle at his knees.
A shadow cast over him and his head jerked up to stare at the gods with unbridled fury. He bolted to his feet so fast he almost knocked Annabeth over, but he didn't seem to notice. All he could see was the gods standing before him, who had done too little and come too late.
"This is all your fault!" He cried out at them, his hands balled into fists at his sides. "Where were you when we needed you?" His lower lip trembled as he fought to control the surge of emotions roiling around inside of him. "They're dead because of you!"
The gods faces were stone cold as they watched the hero of Olympus yell at them in anger. "Percy..." Poseidon began, his voice dangerously calm.
"No!" Percy yelled. "No, this is your fault! You should have been here sooner, you should have been here!" His sea-green eyes glinted like a sharpened sword, ready to slice and kill anyone who stood before him in his murderous rage. He felt his friends stand around him defensively, five demigods when there should have been seven.
"Enough!' Zeus roared, a clap of thunder punctured the sky to accent his words. Percy clamped his teeth shut though he wasn't done with his rant yet. Deathly quiet fell on them all as the king of the gods and the hero of Olympus glared at each other until a daughter of Athena stepped between them.
"Lord Zeus," She began. "Percy, calm down, please. While we bicker our friends fight for their lives. They need us back at Camp Half-Blood. We have to go." Percy stared at her blankly.
"What?" He asked in confusion. What did she mean, fighting for their lives? "Did the Romans attack?" He asked in panic but it was quickly quelled when she shook her head.
"No, the Romans aren't attacking but their in just as much danger." Percy saw Jason stiffen out the corner of his eyes. As the only Roman in their group left, he was bound to be scared for his camp.
"Percy, when the gods came they destroyed the rest of Gaea's monster army, but she managed to teleport the giants away." Annabeth explained hurriedly. Percy's blood ran cold as she continued. "They're at camp Half-Blood, we need to go." She turned to the gods with her gray eyes wide and pleading. "Please, can you help us get there?"
Zeus frowned at her, still not over Percy's disrespect. He looked around at his family, meeting each in the eye. For the first time in history, the Greek gods came to a decision in a second, agreeing silently at what needed to be done. Zeus turned to the demigods and nodded once. "Very well." He rumbled. "We will join the fight."
A flash of light lit up the world and as suddenly as it had come, it stopped and the scenery had changed.
Percy stared in shock. Just a second ago they had been in Greece but now they were back in New York, the green hills and forest so familiar to him that he wanted to cry. But he couldn't, because his friends were in danger and right now as he watched, they were fighting for their lives.
Despite the monster army Gaea had manifested having been destroyed, the stupid Auger Octavian had massed his own army of vile behemoths who had gladly turned on the Romans the moment Gaea had appeared. They outnumbered the demigods and Percy felt his heart thump wildly in his chest as he watched his friends being over run.
He forced his frozen legs to move as he surged towards the fight. The gods and remaining demigods of the great prophecy fallowing suit and joining him in the fight. Percy reached into his pocket and pulled out Riptide, the pen having returned after it flew from his hands in Greece. He uncapped it and in the same motion, managed to destroy a monster. Golden dust exploded in his face and coated him but he didn't stop to dust himself off.
He let out a wild cry that tore at his throat and pushed himself into the fray. With the skill of a practiced swordsman he destroyed his enemies. His body burned with exhaustion but it faded as his vision turned red with blood lust. Monsters cowered in fear before him but more kept coming.
He leaned against a tree to catch his breath for a second, he hated to do it but he needed a quick respite. He looked around to see how his friends were doing and suddenly wished he hadn't. Just as he looked he saw the earth suddenly fling upward, tossing several monsters and demigods in the air. A spike of hardened earth shot up just as quickly. A single one, intended for only one person and Percy's screamed joined those that came from the mouth of the one and only Leo Valdez as his body was impaled.
A fresh wave of anger lent Percy energy as he pushed himself away from the tree and back into the throng. a clear path towards the dying demigod appeared before him and he ran towards his friend with speed he didn't know he possessed. Another friend lost, and Percy had once again been helpless to stop it.
The other seven were already there, protecting the fallen mechanic. His clothes were blood splattered and torn in the middle were a great hole in his gut spurted mountains of blood. His tool belt had been torn, and it lay a few feet away. Fire danced weakly in his hair before it disappeared. His lips moved as his tried to say something to Jason, his closest friend, who leaned over him with a face devoid of emotion.
And finally, Leo's chest stopped moving. His rattling breaths stopped and his eyes closed with a peaceful sigh. Jason stood but continued to stare at the still form. "What'd he say?" Piper asked softly.
"Calypso." Jason's voice cracked. "He said to free Calypso and-and tell her he's sorry."
The others drew quiet as the sound of the fight echoed around them. They looked at each other. They were all that was left. Only four of them. Three dead, three hero's lost.
Percy decided he needed to do something, anything, to lift up their spirits. He held out his free hand like teams did before a game. One by one, they put they're hands on top of his. "For them." He said as he looked each one of his friends in the eyes. They nodded.
This time, they didn't split up. Back to back, they slashed and hacked.
Piper charmspoke the monsters into killing themselves or each other.
Jason uses his powers to zap each monster with lightening.
Annabeth wove and dodged her enemies and stabbed them with her drakon bone sword.
Percy should have known it was going to happen. He should have seen the pattern, how one by one the seven lost each member. He should have known they were going to lost someone soon. And they did.
How no one say the massive Drakon bigger than an apartmen building, Percy will never know, but Drakons seemed to be Aphrodite kids banes. Piper, too busy and too focused on charmspeaking a monster to run into an Earthborn, didn't seem to notice the huge reptilian beast running at her with murderous intent in it's paralyzing eyes.
It spit it's green acid at her back, a scream of pain joined the sounds of agony already around them, and the daughter of Aphrodite fell. The one daughter who knew that true beauty wasn't about looks, but about kindness and how everyone treated each other, the one true daughter of Love, was gone. Just like Selina Beauregard. But unlike then, this young girl was dead before she hit the ground.
Percy noticed Jason didn't do anything. He didn't scream, didn't cry, didn't even seem to notice, but he did seem to suddenly hate the Drakon a lot more than the other monsters. He charged with ferocity. His imperial gold sword gleamed in the afternoon sun as he engaged the monster.
He swung, his head down to avoid the monsters gaze. thunder rumbled as dark gray clouds rolled over the sun whether it was Zeus' doing or Jasons, it still gave Percy an uncomfortable storm wasn't normal.
Jason dodged as the Drakon spit acid at him and instead hit a monster who gave a startled yelp before dissolving and heading back into Tartarus. Jason hit the Drakons side and started to run up it's scaly hide. Percy couldn't help but watch in awe as he leapt high into the air, his body illuminated by a flash of lightening before he plunged his blade deep into the beasts head, hilt deep. Lightening crackled as it arced towards Jason. It blasted into him as he channeled it into the monsters head.
It's body arced and the skeleton could be seen through it's scales as it thrashed around wildly. It tossed a limp Jason from its body before it, scales and all, simply disintegrated. But this, this wasn't golden monster dust. It was pure black ash. There would be no coming back from Tartarus, no regeneration from this guy.
And all because Jason had electrocuted it. Speaking of the son of Jupiter. He was falling to earth apparently either unconscious or unable to save himself from deadly impact. Percy shared a look with Annabeth and she nodded. The started to run towards his falling figure. It was taking a long time for him to fall. Either he had been higher than Percy had originally thought, or something was trying to keep him from hitting the ground. Percy managed to guess where he was going to fall and Annabeth and he worked to clear the space of monsters.
Eventually Jason was close enough for Percy to catch him, and when he did he was surprised to see Jason's skin deathly pale and smoke curling off of him. Percy's heart stilled. Now he knew why the Drakon had turned to ash. Jason, in his rage over Pipers death, and unleashed more power than he had possessed and it was killing him. There was nothing that could be done.
He and Annabeth crouched over him and tried to comfort him in his last few hours of life. Jason turned his blue eyes to them and struggled to speak. "Tell Th-Thalia I'm gonna miss her." He croaked out and Percy's throat tightened. What was he gonna tell the Hunter? "An- and P-Percy." Jason continued. Percy forced himself to look at him. Percy's chest ached with guilt. His friends were dying - had died - and he had done nothing. "To s-storm or fire." Jason said softly as his eyes grew dull and drifted away. "Storm..." His voice trailed off and he stilled. The smoke stopped curling off his body and Percy bowed his head. Jason was gone.
Annabeth reached out a trembling hand and closed his eyes. Percy stood and she joined him. They were the only two left.
He took her hand in an attempt to find comfort in her presence and for a little bit, it worked. "Storm..." He whispered. The original lines of the prophecy had been 'To storm or fire the world must fall.' They had all thought the storm was Jason and the fire, Leo. But now both of them was...dead. And prophecy's were always fulfilled.
He turned to Annabeth, his face suddenly hard and his jaw tight. His eyes voiced the words his mouth couldn't utter. She knew him well enough though to read his expression. Her face too, became battle hard. She nodded. He took out his sword and she gripped her's tighter.
The earth rolled beneath their feet as they began slashing and hacking, drawing farther and farther away from the bodies of their friends. The sky rumbled as a storm threatened to break loose. Drops of rain fell onto the bloody battle that was taking place.
Once again the earth moved like the stormy sea in an attempt to knock the pair down, but they refused to be beaten. They swayed as the looked around for the one enemy who could mean the end of the death and chaos and destruction all around them.
And they saw her. The waves of earth were centered near Half-Blood hill where the earth goddess stood in defiance only a few feet away. She raised her arm and the ground tossed several helpless demigods into the air.
Sweat slicked Percy's hands. He turned to Annabeth. They shared a short kiss, let go of each others hands, and charged. Gaea, surprised by the attack, was forced to suddenly go on the defensive and had to stop the earth's movements to protect herself which allowed the demigods to fight back.
Percy ducked as the primordial swung at him, he rolled and Annabeth took his place in front of Gaea. He got to his feet and swung at Gaea's unprotected back but a block of earth swung him upwards. He tucked in his body and rolled to a stop. He got to his feet. He was at the bottom of the hill, far from Annabeth. He cursed at his stupidity and picked up Riptide. He pushed himself up the hill to join his girlfriend once more in battle.
They were a fearsome pair. Years of danger and having to protect each others backs gave them knowledge about each others fighting that gave them a deadly advantage. It was a dance between them. Beautiful in it's power and graceful in it's deadly movements. Together they pushed at Gaea and for a second, for one glorious second, Percy thought the were winning.
But the Fates are cruel, and Gaea was a primordial, older than the gods themselves. She held power that Percy could only dream of. He should never have assumed they were winning. He should never have forgotten what had been happening, one by one. Because then maybe he could have stopped it, maybe he could have prevented what came next.
Maybe he could have saved her.
Annabeth let out a scream as a chunk of rock was shot at her, hitting her in the chest and pushing her to the ground.
"No!" Percy screamed as he fell beside her. He picked her up into his arms. His heart beat too fast, his breaths came in panicked gasps. His mind just couldn't comprehend what he was seeing.
Blood was wetting the orange camp shirt she wore. A jagged hole gaped at him from above her left breast. Blood slid down his arms but he didn't notice. All he could see was the one thing in the world who meant more to him than life itself, was dying in his arms.
Her gray eyes looked at him, eyes filled with fear that she didn't have the strength to hide. She tried to smile but it turned into a grimace as her punctured heart tried to keep her alive. "Th-this might be the end." She chocked out as she gripped his hand. He swallowed thickly and nodded.
"Yeah."
"It's been a pleasure working with you SeaWeed brain." He tried to smile through his tears at her comment, words she had said to him long ago at the battle of the Labyrinth when they had thought they might both die. But now it was for real and his smile faded.
"Ditto."
He leaned forward and kissed her, her lips tasting like blood and tears, but to him, it was the most wonderful kiss in the world.
He kissed her and held her close until her body stilled and became cold as her life ended. He held her to him tightly, his forehead resting against hers as tears streamed down his face and he screamed.
It was a scream of pure rage, pure anger and loss and misery. A scream that tore at his heart as much as his throat. Even when his throat became torn and burned, and his breath was gone, he continued to scream. Around him, the wind began to pick up as he unleashed everything he had been holding in.
The clouds above them finally released what they had been holding in. Rain pelted everyone down below, the wind howling as it tore at them. But this was no ordinary storm. The rain gave life to those demigods who were dying, gave energy to those too tired to fight. But the monsters? The rain pelted them like a hundred tiny daggers. It punctured the kin and left the wounds oozing a dark black liquid that should not have been there. The wind lashed out at the monsters and blinded the by driving the rain into their eyes. The demigods and gods were unaffected as they worked together to drive the enemy into destruction.
And on Half-Blood hill, in a small bubble of peace, Percy stopped his scream and simply closed his eyes. He relaxed and poured all his energy into keeping up the storm, a storm of pure death. A pain in his gut began to build up but it was nothing compared to the pain in his heart and he simply focused more on the storm. Outside, the worst was being projected to Gaea.
The winds tossed her in the air. The water condensed around her head and began to drown her as minuscule droplets punctured her again and again, the same black liquid seeping forth from her body. she tried to reform but the winds kept her form the earth and therefore away from her life source. She screamed in pure torment until finally, she grew limp. Her body dissolved but each grain of dirt was captured in a single water droplet which hardened into an impenetrable surface before seeming to melt like liquid into the earth.
As the storm dissipated, Percy slumped forward, Annabeth still in his arms. He let out a peaceful sigh as the pain in his gut lessened. Steam curled from his body, but that was okay. Because it was over. He was done, he could go without feeling guilty because his time was up. The world was save.
He closed his eyes.
I'm Sorry
Sally Jackson leaned contentedly against the back of her chair, a nice book in her hand. She sipped from her mug before turning the page once more. She smiled and looked up as her husband Paul, entered the room with the mail in his hands. He smiled at her before turning back to studying the envelopes before a puzzled expression came over his face.
Sally watched him, placing her mug down on the table and marking her book before putting it on the cushion as she stood and walked over. "What's wrong?" She asked. He looked up and blinked in surprise.
"Nothing, it's just that you've got a letter." Sally pursed her lips. "I mean, it's from Camp." He said hurriedly as he read the expression on her face. She laughed and rolled her eyes before holding out her hand for the letter. He complied and fallowed her over to the couch to watch as she opened the envelope and read the crisp paper and neat writing.
The puzzled look returned as she reread the letter again. And again. Her lips formed the words she silently read but still she couldn't understand it.
"What is it?" Paul asked as she placed the letter down to stare ahead blankly.
"It-it said we had to go to camp for an important gathering but it wouldn't say what it's about. Or why we're coming. Mortals aren't allowed in camp." She said in confusion as she began to read the letter once more. "It says here that it's urgent."
Paul stood. "Then we'd better go." Sally looked up, bit her lip, and then nodded to him and put the letter down. She grabbed her coat and they made their way to the door and down to the car.
It didn't take them long to get to the camp. Sally nervously stared at the other cars parked alongside the dirt road before she returned her attention to stare up at the hill that Percy had called 'Half-Blood hill'. Paul cut the engine and got out of the car but she stayed put. She couldn't help but have a bad feeling about this.
After all, the entire thing was strange. Mortals weren't allowed in camp, yet here she and Paul were, and apparently other mortals were here too. And the hill looked awful, as though something huge had happened on the land. Earth had been upturned and once in a while golden dust was blown off the grass and into the air. Sally shivered before opening the door and walking out.
All she wanted was to see Percy. That was the only reason she was here. He'd gone missing for months and hadn't seen him since. The only word she'd heard from him was a message he'd left on the phone but that was it. She just wanted to see her son again.
She and Paul climbed the hill silently. Each lost in their own thoughts. Once they reached they top they were both surprised to see a dragon, a real life dragon, it's huge form wrapped around the trunk of a pine tree who had a golden fleece attached to it, but it didn't attack and Sally's heart eventually calmed down.
Paul walked ahead without a problem which Sally found once again to be strange since there was usually a protective barrier around camp. He turned and stared at her in confusion as she hesitated.
"It's alright Sally, come on." He smiled and held out his hand for her. She smiled unsurely and took his hand as she fallowed him. When she saw the view, she let out a gasp. It was beautiful. The forest, the grass, the cabins the sea. It was no wonder her son had always been eager to come back.
Her son.
Her heart swelled. He was here somewhere, and she could see him again and she could be able to hold him in her arms and tell him how much she'd missed him. She grinned like a young girl, and she pulled Paul along with her down the hill. As they neared the bottom a swarm of kids could be seen fallowing a seemingly new marble path towards the forest.
She shared a confused look with Paul before she tapped a young girl on her shoulder. "Excuse me," She said politely. "I'm looking for Percy? Percy Jackson?" The little girls eyes widened a tad bit, and she looked away quickly and hurried into the crowd.
Sally frowned, the feeling of unease returning as she tried again. The boy panicked as well, she could see it in his eyes, when she asked the question, but he told her that they were actually heading in the direction they needed to go. Apparently there was a huge meeting going on and the entire camp was needed there. Sally frowned. Now that she was looking more closely, she could see that despite the summer heat each and every kid was wearing black.
The kid introduced himself as Chris and led them along the glittery white path deeper into the woods. The throng of kids grew steadily larger until they finally reached a clearing. Sally and Paul let out gasps of surprise and Sally tightened her grip on her husbands hand.
A cemetery. Each gravestone brand new, was before them. Flowers littered the ground. The mob still continued to push forward though a few kids stopped occasionally to place more flowers near gravestones.
When the kids stopped moving Sally froze, looking around frantically to see if she could see her son. A familiar mop of unruly black hair was a few feet in front of her, but it was only Poseidon. She pushed forward, a sense of panic gripping her. She pulled Paul along as she reached the god of the sea.
"Where is he!?" She screamed at him. He jumped and turned and Sally's panic only grew as she saw he too was wearing black. "Wheres Percy?! Wheres my son?!" She yelled. Poseidon looked away and didn't answer. "Tell me!" The woman screamed at him. His eyes flickered and she was shocked to see...tears. Tears streamed from his face as he pointed behind her, to where everyone was looking.
She turned slowly and let out a gasp.
It too, was beautiful. It was a state, a marvelously sculpted statue. So well done it seemed almost to radiated life. But then she recognized the features, the kind smile, the happy face, and her blood turned to ice.
The statue was of seven kids, five she did not recognize. A curly haired girl who had been sculpted laughing, a buff kid with his arm around her was smiling gaily. A kid with pointy ears seemed to be making something. A boy and girl, obviously a couple, were holding each other tight. And in the center? Percy and Annabeth. They had their fingers entwined as they held hands, foreheads resting against each other.
Sally took a step forward. And another. She passed a punk girl who was crying, surrounded by other girls wearing silvery clothing who were trying to comfort her. She passed a man and his wife and two sons, the man had tears streaming from his eyes, the boys looked uncomprehendingly at everything. They didn't know what was going on.
But she did. She knew it know, as tears formed in her eyes as she reached the foot of the statue. She lifted up a trembling hand but couldn't bear to touch it, to touch him. She slumped to the ground and hugged herself as she cried.
I'm Sorry
For a moment, Percy could have sworn he was floating. He felt light headed, insubstantial, but then with a sudden jolt, he felt solid again. But he still felt like he was floating. Floating on clouds. Because this bed was just so soft. He smiled and slowly opened his eyes to find himself staring into the gray eyes of his entire world.
She smiled and kissed him gently. He wrapped his arms around her as he held her close until a cough made him sit up suddenly. His friends, all his friends, were staring at him in amusement.
"Well it's about time!" Leo complained as he got to his feet. "We've been waiting forever."
Percy stared at them, open mouthed. He turned to his Wisegirl to see her still smiling and he had to smile too. He could hear laughter, he could feel warm sunshine. He knew where he was and that was okay. He was okay with it.
"Yeah," He said softly. "It's about time."