Chapter 2: I run away

2 years later

Darkness. That's all I could see. Nobody. Nothing. Everything around me was covered with a dark mesh. True I could've lit up my hands to see but truth is I didn't want to see where I was. Didn't want to see the damage I caused as I ran through the forest.

Broken hearts tend to do that to people. Broken hearts always tend to make people perform the rashest of all decisions. But who's to know what would happen if a heart gets broken. The one who broke it? Of the one who got it broken? I guess no one does.

I heard a distinct rustle in the forest but I ignored it. I wanted to rest, to escape the harsh reality of life, to escape the fast and unpredictable life of a demigod. Suicide seems like the only option.

Oh how it looked so enticing. The edge of a blade beckoning me to slice myself open. The idea of pissing of a God so much that he killed me. All throughout the Giant war, I thought these thoughts. I thought about how simple life would have been for everyone had I not existed. How simple life would be for me if I was a mortal.

I uncapped my sword, the action more like a subconscious activity, and marveled at its glistening blade. I ran my palm across it, thinking about how it would feel as I run it through my stomach. I wanted to feel it. I wanted to leave this hellhole of a life I've been living. I wanted to die on the spot.

"Be calm, my dear hero," A soothing voice whispered in my head, "It's no use troubling yourself with such dark thoughts." A very familiar voice that had stuck with me during my many quests.

I ignored the voice. Why should anyone care about what I thought? I was never special to them. Never special to my father. Never to my own girlfriend. Never to the Olympians.

"Your friends are here," The voice assured me, "They care about you. They love you."

My father made sure that they didn't. Declining godhood was the greatest offence for him. The old fool. His second son is no worse. Always at camp. Nobody cared if he stayed. Nobody cared if I left. They all loved him. The all loved him for his boyish face. His charm. Everything. They all loved him. Every single one of them.

"Cease this line of thinking." The voice commanded.

Every single one of them. Even her. The great Annabeth. The favorite of Athena. The hard to tame girl. The one who fell the hardest for him. The one who couldn't resist a chance to talk to him. To the slayer of Enchinda.

I looked at the ring in my hand, squinting at it with the help of my sword. I looked at it closely and thought about all the crap I went through for it. All the secret quests for Athena. The repetitions of Hercules' tasks. Each and every one of them.

I should've seen it, though. Should've known that all this would haunt me. Should've known that the Goddess of Wisdom always has a plan. Damn that bitch. Damn her to Tartarus for what she did. Damn her to Tartarus for destroying my life. Damn her.

I should end it right here. By the woods. End my life right by the monsters that would devour me once I do. End a life that was never made to succeed. A life doomed to all hardships simply by existing. Nobody to go to. Nobody to save me. Nobo-

"Get out of here Perce." A voice said, startling me.

I looked around hurriedly, squinting here and there as I tried to locate the source of the voice. I could hear the rustling of the leaves as somebody rushed to me hurriedly. I could sense the water in their body as they sweated.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" The voce yelled, "Get out of here before they find you."

The owner of the voice rushed up towards me, his hand sparking a little until he was right in front of me, his hand fully ablaze. I recognized the face of one of my last few friends. I noticed how haggard he looked.

"I convinced them to go to the beach," He whispered, now not wanting to draw the attention of the others, "I was only able to pack what I could find." He threw a small bundle at me, "Now get out of here."

"But where…" I stuttered, everything around me moving too fast for me to make sense of it.

"Anywhere but here." He interrupted, "Marcus has got almost the entire camp behind him. They're coming after your blood."

"But he framed me!" I yelled, finally coming to an understanding on what had happened.

"I know that!" Nico yelled back, "But the others really think you maimed Marcus. So, I suggest you run."

"But where?" I asked, really not wanting to run again as my whole life was filled with it. I was sick of it. Running around. Fighting for my life. The multiple quests. I was sick and tired of all of it.

"Try Alaska," Nico said, "It's better than staying at your mother's. It'd be safer considering how well your brother can influence your father and the other Gods."

"Why should I run?" I asked, now annoyed with everyone and everything, "They obviously worship my brother. Let them have me for all I care." I felt a hard slap to my face.

"Are you listening to yourself man?" Nico yelled, "You have everything to live for. You have-" We heard some rustling and yelling coming from the direction of the camp, "I'll tell you later. Now, go." He said pushing me in the opposite direction while he turned around and went towards the rustling.

"He isn't here, Marcus." I heard Nico say as I took a few steps towards the edge of the forest.

"Move out of the way, you little bitch," I heard Marcus say, "I heard you talking to someone. So, I suggest you move away."

"Make me." I heard Nico say, which was soon followed by the sound of a sword being unsheathed. I rushed forward at the sound of metal clashing but a stern voice yelling in my head made me stop short.

"Run away, my hero" The voice said, "Nico can handle himself."

"What if he needs help?" I asked aloud, my voice drowned out to the others by the sounds of the fight.

"I'll help him if needed. Now run." The voice commanded, "Burn some grass once you've found a safe place to stay. I'll try to hinder the Olympians."

With that the voice disappeared, leaving me by myself. I could hear the clashes of swords but I didn't rush to help this time because I knew that Nico was trying to buy me time. So I just turned around and ran away from camp, not looking back at it. And while doing so, I could feel it. The one thing that I never felt ever since I was told I was a demigod.

I felt free.