I'll warn you guys now, there is some not pretty stuff in this chapter, so if you don't want to read it, that's fine.
Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson and the Olympians.
-PJO—PJO—PJO-
Dark, suffocating blackness surrounded me on all sides, stretching on into an endless nothing that couldn't be seen or explored. I felt it shifting, moving around my body, squeezing it and caressing it and making me dizzy with heat.
My skin burned painfully, as though I had a fever, and the heavy warmth that wrapped around me like a snake made me all the more aware of it. I squinted into the darkness, watched it carefully for something, anything, which could help me get away from the unbearable heat.
When I finally thought it was hopeless and was about to give up, I saw something move way out in the distance, so far away I almost waved it off as insignificant, but when it was suddenly in front of me, I couldn't hold back a scream.
In front of me was Annabeth, but it wasn't at the same time. Her skin was slowly deteriorating, and from the short distance away from me that she was, I could smell the stench of death. It burned into my nostrils and gave me the urge to throw up.
I couldn't take my eyes off of her moving corpse. I could see things moving over her skin, into the rotten patches covering her body, and I realized with continually growing horror that they were maggots, crawling all over and inside of her.
'You did this to me, Percy,' she hissed, and I began to tremble when I realized that it was the same voice that I'd heard before I passed out. 'You killed me and took away my future. You don't deserve to be happy.'
"I'm sorry," I whispered. "I'm so, so sorry, Annie." Tears were streaming down my face.
'I loved you,' she continued. 'We could've been together, had a family and jobs and a life, but it's too late for that now. And now, before it's too late, I'm going to take what is mine.'
To my disgust and horror, Annabeth leaned forward and pressed her cold, clammy lips against mine, allowing maggots to crawl into my mouth and down my throat. She pulled away with a final smirk and crumbled to dust. I choked on the tiny creatures, coughing and hacking, but they wouldn't leave me.
On the contrary, I could feel them moving through my body, and I could feel the pain they brought as they ate away at me from the inside out. I screamed out in agony.
And then the pain disappeared, along with any sign that the larvae had been there. A bright light filled the nothingness that I was in, forcing me to shield my eyes.
When I could finally see, there was a funeral. I was confused, before the dread and sorrow came crashing down on me at the sight of the pyre they were burning.
There was a silk cloth on the body, hiding it from sight, coloured pale green, with a dark, almost black, green trident outlined in silver embroidered on it.
"No," I breathed in denial. "I can't be dead. I can't be."
I looked around and saw that we were on Montauk, and there were only two people in front of the pyre. It was Apollo and Hestia, both looking sadly at the structure. Apollo took a few steps forward with shaky steps, toward the pyre, holding a flaming torch.
With a shuddering gasp, he threw it onto the silk laden body and stepped back again, grasping onto Hestia's hand. I fell to my knees.
"No!" I shouted. "Please, no! I can't leave him!" I didn't even look at my burning body, only paying attention to the grief-stricken look Apollo and Hestia both held. The goddess of the hearth pulled the sun god into her arms, holding him tightly, both to comfort him and herself.
The words that Apollo said next, to the me on the pyre, broke my heart completely. I let out long, pain-filled sob. 'I'll never touch anyone again. I love you, Perce. You're the one for me, and now that you're gone, there's no need to love anyone again. Goodbye, my dear.'
I screamed out, long and loud, unable to handle the guilt and grief and agony in Apollo's voice, in those words. I didn't move from my spot for a long time, listening to the crying of the two gods and the waves gently hitting the sand as I shook silently.
I felt the two walk past me slowly, leaving my body there to burn. I stayed there long after the fire burned out and all that was left was ash. I couldn't find the energy to move. I stared up at the silver moon, shining gloriously on the glass-like water and making it look like an ocean of quicksilver.
"Please, just take me away," I begged quietly. "Someone, take me away from this hell." A warm, gentle hand landed on my shoulder, and I saw a man standing there, seemingly just as beautiful as the moon.
"Perseus," he said softly, voice like wind-chimes in a soft breeze. "I can give you a second chance, so that you can be with the one that you love."
My eyes widened, and I stared at the man, taking in his genuine features. He had dark, crimson hair cut short, but long enough to move in the wind, pale, almost white skin, shining eyes that looked like molten silver, and a lean build.
"How?" I asked hoarsely. The man smiled kindly at me, kneeling next to me in the sand.
"Take up a new name, a new personality, and a new appearance, until I tell you to reveal yourself," he said, voice as soft as the breeze blowing on us. "Hide from the sight of the gods, but do what you like. And when I tell you, you can reveal yourself to those you please, and you may have your lover once again."
I frowned, considering my choices. "What's the catch?"
The man laughed. "There is no catch, unless taking my blessing counts." I liked the sound of his laugh.
"First," I said slowly, "tell me your name. Who are you?" My question seemingly amused the man, as he chuckled slightly, but he answered anyway.
"I'm just a man who wants to help," he said, "but if you want something to call me, then call me Zevran."
I looked back at the ocean, and thought. If it was the chance to be with Apollo again . . . who was I to pass up the chance? But it could also be a trap. No, I had to take the chance. Nothing could be worse than what I was going through already.
"I accept your offer, Zevran," I told him determinedly. The red-head grinned at me, then offered me his hand as he stood up. I took the pale hand, surprised at how warm it was. I allowed him to pull me up.
I wasn't sure what to do, but I didn't need to know, as Zevran placed his hand on my head and closed his eyes, chanting under his breath. I felt power flowing into me, and suddenly everything surrounding me came into sharp focus. I could hear the flutter of a butterfly's wings, could smell the scent of the forest strawberry fields at Camp Half-Blood, could see the unnoticeable ripples in the water, and I could sense everything surrounding me even with my eyes closed.
And then he pulled his hand away, grinning triumphantly at me. "It's done," he breathed. "Now, before I reveal you to anyone nearby, I'll need you to change."
Out of nowhere, the man pulled clothes from behind his back, handing them to me. There was a long, black jacket with a hood that reached down to the back of my knees, dark blue jeans, a light green long-sleeved t-shirt, and a pair of black boots outlined with a silver-green material that reached my knees.
I quickly changed into the clothes, a bit shy knowing that Zevran was watching me, and then handed him my old clothes, which he promptly poofed away.
"But wait, there's more," he said. Then he pulled two things from behind his back. A porcelain mask, looking as though it was fitted only for my face, and a long, elegant sword. "The mask is your disguise. When you put it on, people see a completely different person, but to you, it's just like any other mask. And the sword, it's enchanted to freeze anything you cut or stab with it. To make up for the loss of Riptide."
I jolted at the mention of the loss of my sword, only then realizing I hadn't seen it since I woke up in Apollo's home. I guessed that my father took it away, no longer deeming me worthy of it.
"And finally," Zevran began, "the extent of the powers I just blessed you with. You would probably like to know what they are, wouldn't you?" I only nodded, unsure what to say.
"My blessing has sharpened all of your senses, improved your control over water, and given you the ability to go in and out of the realm of the dead, which you are in right now," he said. "Makes for a great hiding place." He grinned at his last statement, and I returned it.
My smile slipped soon, though. "Will I be able to see you again?" I asked.
Zevran nodded. "I'll be here whenever you'd like to talk, so don't worry about that."
A thought suddenly came to mind. "What is this place? It's definitely not the Underworld."
The redhead smiled fondly, looking around. "It's my home. I choose who comes here, and who leaves. You could say it's my own personal Underworld."
I smiled, then placed the mask on my face. I walked over to the ocean and looked at my reflection. What I saw stunned me. I had deeply tanned skin, wild, white hair, amber coloured eyes, and a more feminine build, but not so much so I looked like a girl.
"Oh," I whispered. I turned back to the man, who was waiting patiently for me. "I'm ready," I told him.
A flash of darkness, and suddenly I was standing in the middle of a forest.
-PJO—PJO—PJO-
Chapter four, here you go. Hope you enjoyed it. Favorite, follow, review, and PM me. Until next time . . .
~O'Malley out!
