Perseus Jackson gazed emotionlessly into the gleaming Celestial Bronze that was Riptide. Somber seagreen orbs stared back at him, giving a glimpse of a lifetime of unfairness, injustice, action, death, adventure, heartbreak, betrayal, and so much more. If he squinted closely at the dark pupils in the center, he could see the life changing ordeal playing in his mind like a cruel movie - the betrayal of his fellow demigods and closest friends.

Flashback

Percy Jackson was content. He strolled through Camp Half-Blood, thinking of his fortune. He had survived yet another war. The casualties had been great. He had lost a massive amount of friends and allies, the most dramatic being Leo Valdez, who had blown up in midair, effectively destroying Gaea, but also eliminating himself. It didn't help that the pain in the butt Octavian had launched some sort of bomb at them, and everyone was more ready than ever to strangle him. But neither the death of his friend nor the happy thought of wringing out Octavian's neck with his bare hands was on his mind at the moment. No, not at all.

Percy was thinking of Annabeth Chase.

Annabeth had been injured in the war, but had survived to his infinite pleasure. In fact, the son of Poseidon was going to meet her at that very moment. Apparently, she had something very important to say to him.

"Meet me down by the climbing wall at 4 p.m. It's important, so try to be on time for once Seaweed Brain."

Her words played through his head like a scratched CD player. He wondered if maybe Connor Stoll had been awoken yet. His friend had been mortally wounded in the fight. Although Will Solace had assured his brother and worried friends the injury was 99% likely to be not fatal, the young prankster would remain in a light coma for a bit. How long was unclear, but Will had been sure it would be under a year. Percy certainly hoped Will was right. Travis sat by his younger brothers' bed at his every waking moment, not bothering to play pranks without his favorite partner-in-crime. The workers at the infirmary had long since given up trying to drag the stubborn Stoll out after dark. Each time he had adamantly (and loudly!) claimed that his bro, practically his soulmate (not in a romantic way) could be on his death bed, and Travis wouldn't leave him for so much as five minutes. Katie Gardner came to accompany him often, and when questioned about it she replied "Oh, Travis and I started dating five minutes before the big battle. Didn't you know?" Percy chuckled at what a lively pair they would make. He was happy for them. Percy was shaken from his reverie when he heard a familiar voice say "You're late, Seaweed Brain!".

Percy chuckled at the sight of his girlfriend with her hands on her hips, and both eyebrows cocked.

"Sorry, Wise girl," he apologized, attempting to give her his puppy face, complete with a quivering lower lip and wide eyes.

"I already told you, never going to work!" she explained, sighing at his tactics.

"Okay, okay...what did you want to talk about?" he replied, his sad pout stretching into a wide smile. She grinned back and motioned for him to follow her.

Percy dutifully obeyed, and together, they scaled the climbing wall with ease.

"I totally beat you," he teased, as they sat on the very top.

"Did not!" she shot back, smirking slightly.

"What did you want to talk about?" he questioned, changing the subject.

At this, Annabeth seemed to take a sudden interest in her lap, practically burning a hole into it with her intense glare.

"Annabeth?" the boy whispered, his mood going from teasing to deadly serious in milliseconds.

Her head suddenly whipped up, and her glare was was fixed upon him. Furious gray bore into startled seagreen.

"End of the line, Jackson!" she hissed, and promptly pushed her boyfriend, Percy Jackson, off the wall.

Percy could only respond with a squeaky "What?" before he was plummeting to the lava and boulders below. Thinking quickly, he latched on to a boulder on the way down with his left hand. His knuckles turned white as he held on like his life depended on it.

Which it did.

"Annabeth! Help!" he screamed, hoping desperately that it had been an accident, that his beloved would save him.

"Help you? Like you helped Nera?" Annabeth shouted.

"Who?" Percy asked, dumbfounded.

"You know who, Perseus Jackson! Don't act like you don't!"

As a matter of fact, Percy DID know who Nera was. But only in the loosest sense.

Even though he had tried to block it out, he was fully aware the campers had been ignoring him. For what reason, he knew not. If he smiled and waved at someone, they would sneer. If he asked if someone needed help, or wanted to go hang out, they would turn their noses at him. Sometimes, they threw in a comment about a person named Nera.

"Hang out? I think Nera needs it more, Jackson."

"I don't need your help! As a matter of fact, why don't you go help your half-sister? Nera could use it."

Every time, Percy would tilt his head and furrow his brow in confusion. This had been happening for over a month now, and Percy had given up on trying to question people about it. Percy still wanted to know who Nera was, he wanted to know very badly. Because of this 'Nera' person, he was being shunned and ignored. Even his closest friends at CHB, Piper, Jason, Katie, Clarisse, and Rachel had begun to act awkward and distant around him. Thalia was with the hunters, and Nico had been spending some time at Camp Jupiter with Frank, Hazel, Nico, and Reyna. Only Annabeth was left. But now it seemed even she had turned against him.

Her response was to throw rocks.

One by one, each of her rocks hit their target, and one by one, each of Percy's quivering fingers were knocked from their hold, until only his thumb was left, slipping at an alarming rate.

Percy searched Annabeth's face for any sign of remorse or regret, or any sign that would indicate she was possessed, or not in her right mind.

He found none.

"Good-bye, Perseus Jackson," she said simply, as his thumb finally betrayed and sent him shooting down towards the ground once again.

'I guess this is the end. How ironic that Percy Jackson, savior of Olympus, would be killed not in battle, saving a friend, or doing a good deed. No, he would die for reasons unbeknownst to him, at the hands of the one he loved. And nobody would mourn him, because he had apparently had committed some terrible offense to an overrated weirdo named Nera.' Percy thought bitterly.

He glanced over his shoulder. The ground was coming at him fast.

"This is the end.." he muttered, fastening his eyes shut and bracing himself for the impact.

WHAP!

Me: Sorry not sorry for ending it like this. ;P

Annabeth: *gloomy*

Me: Sorry Annabeth. I know you feel terrible, but I am a Percabeth shipper, so there's a high chance of you guys getting back together. But I'm going to put it to a vote with the readers. Although, Percabeth may have two votes from me. And yes, I get two votes. I am the author. Again, sorry not sorry.

Nico: Thank the stars she doesn't own us, or our story.

Me: Oh, thanks for the disclaimer...

Me: AND THAT REMINDS ME. This story was inspired by the story Zayden Blaze, a wonderful story by Lmb111514. I seriously recommend it to any and every one! So what are you waiting for? Open it in a new tab!

Leo: What about me?

Me: I haven't forgotten you. ;) WARNING - BoO spoilers!

You see, I know Leo resurrects and appears at Calypso's island. But in my mind, this takes place before Leo is able to build something to take them both to CHB. So yes, Caleo will appear later.

Me: And, on to my next announcement (flips notepad page) gosh, so many! I just wanted to apologize to the people to whom I told I was going to write this story. I wanted to read the PJO series again, and my grades are slipping...so...poor excuses they are, however true they may be.

THIS CHAPTER IS BEING OFFERED UP TO GOD, AS A THANK YOU FOR SPARING MY FATHER'S LIFE. TODAY, A CAR A FEW CARS IN FRONT OF HIM STOPPED SUDDENLY, AND ALL THE CARS HAD TO SLAM ON THEIR BREAKS. WELL, THE ICE IS SUPER SLIPPERY AND THICK, AND THE CAR'S BREAKS SUDDENLY COULDN'T BE BOTHERED TO WORK...AND...AND...! Look, I'm just so thankful to God that my Daddy's alive, just ignore this if you want, I felt it was necessary, and I refuse to apologize for any offence I may have committed to people and their religion.