The Fires of Hestia

Mikkal


PERCY


'YOU HAVE TO choose Perseus…'

He glanced up at the darkness above him and then down at the blonde in his arms. Percy had promised that they were going to be together, that everything would be okay if they were just together. But the longer they stayed down here, the more sure he became that it wasn't going to end up like that.

Honestly, he thought that if he and Annabeth were in Tartarus together he could protect her from whatever harm came her way. That wasn't the case. There was something about this place, more than monsters or torture. It was slowly making their psyche crack and their bodies wither, more so for Annabeth considering her less-than-stellar state before they fell.

'This offer will only be good for five more minutes. You or Annabeth?'

"Annabeth," he murmured, quietly, not as an answer, but to wake the skin and bones girl in his arms. "Please wake up."

She murmured something and shifted, her features twisting into an expression of fear and pain. His heart broke at the sight. Percy sighed, she was going to hate him so much for this. But this was an offered he couldn't refuse. Plus, it gave Gaea less of a chance to 'spill their blood.'

"Annabeth," he repeated to the darkness above and surrounding him. "I choose Annabeth."

There was the breath of a sigh, a soft breeze that twirled around them. 'Are you sure? I don't…"

He eyes burned with tears, but he didn't let them fall. "Please," he whispered. "You asked me to choose, and I did. Don't back out now."

'As you wish,' she said sadly. 'I'm sorry I can only take you. But you know I—."

Percy shook his head. "I know, I know."

He gathered Annabeth a little tighter in his arms and pressed a kiss to her forehead, closing his eyes and ordering himself not to cry. He wasn't going to die down here; he still needed to get to the Doors of Death. But he didn't know how he would turn out in the end.

"I love you," he said quietly. "Take care, Wise Girl."

Her chilled body grew warm, glowing like a hot ember, before she started to wisp away like smoke from a fire.

It didn't take long for her to completely disappear. Percy stared at the place where she used to be, telling himself that this was best. She had already been injured before they fell, and the number of times they had been attacked and Percy had been too slow to protect her just cemented his decision. He couldn't protect down here, he was too weak.

'I'm sorry, Percy…"

Something warm touched his cheek, like the hand of a caring woman. He smiled and leaned into the touch.

"Don't be," he said. "Thank you for giving me the choice."

Gods could not come to Tartarus, it was dangerous and stupid. But even fire could be made down here, and if tended correctly could always create the warmth of a hearth. That was just the opening Hestia needed, with the blessing from Hades/Pluto she could extend her presence to the two demigods.

But she could only save one of them.

'She will be returned to the Argo II,' Hestia said, her voice faint. 'They are still on their way to the physical Doors of Death.' Something heavy was placed in Percy's hand. 'This will guide you. It's not perfect, but it's better than nothing.'

"Thank you, Lady Hestia," he said with more respect than he would show any other god in his voice.

There was a soft chuckle. 'At this moment I am Vesta, but you may call me Hestia. I was never as divided as the other gods. I understand what the Romans did, and why. My duties were not changed as much. I am as sane as I can be at the moment.'

Percy paused for a moment before saying, "Thank you, Lady Vesta."

'So polite. Take care, Percy.'

And then she was gone, leaving Percy all alone in the middle of Tartarus, probably not even a hundred feet from where they fell despite the fact that they'd been here for days—weeks?—months?. The Labyrinth changed time around them, there was a good chance Tartarus did the same. Which way? He didn't know for sure yet.

He stood up with a little difficulty, his knees cracking and his muscles throbbing. Percy winced and stretched, the wound on his side stinging as it opened a little. He ruffled a hand through his hair and looked down at the object in his hand.

It was a compass. Beautifully crafted with a strange combination of the shining Imperial Gold and the glowing Celestial Bronze. He grinned; of course he would get something that had an aspect of both sides.

The needlepoint whirled around in a circle at high speed, unable to decided which way to point until it finally did and pointed straight behind him. Percy glanced in that direction and saw nothing.

He turned around and the needlepoint turned with him, now facing directly ahead of him in the same direction as before. Percy shrugged, Hestia/Vesta was the most trustworthy of gods—at least, that he was aware of—she wouldn't steer him wrong, not like this.

Percy uncapped Riptide and started forward, keeping an eye out for any monsters. They were hard to kill back in the living (he was, basically, in a way, dead at the moment…technically), but imagine what it was like trying to kill them where they went when they died. It was a horrible nightmare on repeat, one of the reasons that Annabeth couldn't stay down here.

No matter how much it hurt to eat the words he promised.

He could hear the sound of rushing water, but there was no smell of it in the air and no taste of it on the tip of his tongue. The Pit was taunting him, making him yearn for his third most desired thing. The first was Annabeth. The second was his mother who—.

Percy's train of thought screeched to a halt.

His mother who he lasted talked to months ago before Hera got a hold of him and his memories. His mom, whose voice he hasn't hear since around the same time—unless you count Paul Blofis' voicemail where there was the faint sounds of his mom calling out to Percy in the background.

He swallowed a lump in his throat. Once he got out of here he was going to call his mom. He didn't care about the stupid cellphone monster attraction thing. His mom deserved to know, from him. Annabeth will probably tell her everything, but she would have to leave out why Percy couldn't talk to her.

"Sorry, Percy Jackson, Son of Poseidon and the Universe's favorite punching bag, can't come to the phone right now. He's lost his memory, just got it back, and is now in the Greek version of Hell being tormented by the Pit. Can I take a message?"

Percy shook himself and focused on everything but the sound of water and his own flowing thoughts. This was exactly what the Spirit of the Abyss wanted. For him to lose himself and basically offer up his soul to wander this place forever. He vaguely wondered if he could return to the living easier if he let himself go.

Okay, that was another thing he wasn't going to think of.

He looked down at the compass and stopped abruptly in a small panic.

The needlepoint was spinning again. Just going around and around in circles. Percy shut his eyes as he started to get dizzy. How long had it been spinning and had been just been walking mindlessly in the wrong direction?

Percy vaguely wondered where al the monsters were—especially now when he was so distracted, he was the perfect target meant to be captured and brought to the sleeping Gaea's feet. They had been attacking him an Annabeth then left when Hestia (or Vesta) appeared. Her warm presence must have scared them off.

Despite what some people liked to think, a goddess of the hearth could be just as scary as the Big Three…combined.

But she was gone now and yet there were no monsters still. Just that heavy feeling in the air of something beyond ancient and the sound of rushing water. Something was definitely wrong—add that spinning needlepoint and Percy's stomach was slowly sinking to his toes, filled with dread and, maybe, a little bit of fear.

This was definitely a bad thing.

'Oh, Son of Poseidon, what makes you think that?' A sleepy voice said, sounding louder than she would have on the surface.

He clenched Riptide tightly, holding it out defensively. Though what it could do against someone so ancient was a complete mystery. Probably nothing at all.

Well, he was totally screwed.

'You've cost me some convenience, demigod,' Gaea said, her voice so soothing and sleepy he could feel his shoulders start to sag and his eyes droop. 'I need two of each. I was looking forward for you and the Child of Athena at once, but no matter. I have you. Now, I just need the other.'

Shadows began to rush him and Percy blacked out.