Before I begin:
As much as I would've liked to, I do not own Percy Jackson Characters. They're owned by the amazing Rick Riordan. This is my first fanfic…so give me some constructive criticism! (Not too harsh, please) I already made eleven chapters…but give me some ideas anyway!
Thank you!
Chapter 7: Annabeth's Powers
When I woke up, it was dark. I couldn't see, hear, or feel anything. Then I heard Annabeth's voice…but it was so faint, it was almost like a memory.
I love you, Percy.
I didn't say anything. About five minutes later, I whispered, "Me too."
When the door opened, it was the only light I'd seen in a while, and there was a shadow of a large man. I thought for sure I was dead. Then I remembered: Hades was not this kind.
"Hello?" I called.
The shadow moved, flickered, and disappeared.
The door closed.
I was about to doze off in this dark room-or whatever it was-when something brushed against me. I jumped and someone laughed lightly. It sort of sounded like a tinkling bell, almost. Like Annabeth's laugh.
Then it was gone.
I was really trying to block out everything. I kind of just wanted to die at this point.
Hades? Nico? Could you maybe cut my death short now?
I suddenly felt myself drain. I was kidding, Hades!
The draining feeling stopped.
I felt someone's breath on my ear, but by now I knew it was just wishful thinking.
Don't kill yourself, Seaweed Brain.
I felt her kiss me. I tried to kiss her back, but the ghostly feeling left.
I refused to even pay attention to my ADHD thinking. So I didn't pay attention when someone whispered, "Percy?"
I fell down sort of fast, hitting my head on the gross floor. I tried to sleep.
"Percy?"
I rolled over, trying to block it out.
"Percy? Are you okay?"
I finally gave in and pushed myself up. A bright blue but fuzzy image shimmered at the other side of the room.
"Hello?" I said, scared it would go away.
The figure came closer. The sudden brightness made me wince.
"Sorry," the voice said, and the light dimmed a bit. The figure came a bit closer, slowly, until it was in front of me, kneeling with her hands on her knees.
"Annabeth?" I asked.
She smiled. "Hi," she said.
She glowed a light baby blue, and small tendrils wisped around her. Her clothes were torn and her face was filled with scratches and bruises, as well as all over her body.
"Are you…?" I asked, scared of the answer.
She smiled gently. "Dead? No Percy, I'm not. It's Nico's version of an Iris-message."
"Nico's there?"
Her smile flickered. "No," she said, "He showed me how. But Percy…" she trailed off.
"Yes?" I said, desperately wanting to reach out and touch her.
"I…I'm scared." She glanced behind her. "I don't know where I am. I'm in a dark room…like yours."
"I-"
Suddenly a bright light shone behind her; she was almost see-through now. "I'm sorry Percy, I have to-"
"What the-Nakamura! Get in here!" someone shouted.
"Annabeth-"
"I love you, Percy," she said sadly, and she flickered out like a candle.
The room went dark.
I don't know how much time passed. A minute. Hour. Day. Year? But suddenly the door flew open, and a shadow appeared, large and muscled. "Out, punk," it snarled.
I stumbled out into the light. The man hid in the shadows, but I could just make out a tattoo on his forearm: Minerva. A tattoo of Athena was on his arm…but she looked different somehow, in a way I couldn't explain.
He nudged me forward with a club. "Get moving, punk," he snarled. Snarls were apparently his language.
I stumbled forward, out into…sunshine? I hadn't seen it in so long I didn't know if it really was.
It wasn't sunshine. It was a harsh spotlight, shining down on me. Once I blinked, I saw Thalia and Nico tied up and gagged, tied to a post on the ground. They had a spotlight on them.
Then there was Annabeth. She hung in an almost identical scene to where I first found her in the labyrinth. Tightly packed pots of Greek fire circled her all around, and basilisks slithered around on them freely. Her mouth was gagged, her feet tied and her arms above her head, tied to the post she was bound on. She had a big cut on her forehead. Her chest was a crimson mess, and her legs were littered with scratches and bruises, and on her right leg, an identical basilisk bite to mine was swelling and turning green and pink.
I felt myself fill with rage. A barrel of water trembled, and flew up, crashing down into a watery splash. The buff dude glared at me and said, "I'd watch ya powers, punk. They've got peoples who'd kill they best bud for someone like you's."
I was steaming, but I did as he was told.
He tied me to my own post, but the ropes were so slack I could slip out with a twist. "I'm rooting for ya," the buff man told me quietly. "When the gong…gongs, fly out and save your little friends. Hitchhike it out of here-ya afterwards."
I was so stunned, but the guy tied my feet and arms loosely too, and continued. "There'll be a guy out back with some refreshment stuff. Grab it and run like you's never run before."
"How can I know to trust you? It could be a trap."
He raised his eyebrows. "It could," he said. "You won't know. But if you's stay here-ya, then you're sure to die. At least if you run, you've got a chance."
I groaned. I hate logic.
He raised his eyebrows. "Hate logic huh?" When I stared at him, opened mouthed, he added, "Daughter of Minerva. Like your girlfriend."
"What? Minerva? And wait, she's not-"
But Buff Guy was gone.
"And now we shall kill the Pluto and Jupiter!"
A British looking man waved his axe in the air. "Kill Pluto and Jupi-tah! Kill Pluto and Jupi-tah!"
Some drunken man waved his dagger in the air, staggering toward Nico and Thalia. He cackled and practically threw himself at their post. Just as the blade was about to run Thalia through, Nico closed his eyes. I thought, He's just gonna close his eyes while his girlfriend gets killed! But suddenly a dark shadow wrapped around the two of them, and when the smoke cleared, they were gone.
The crowd gasped, and I used the distraction to slip out of my ropes. I stepped out and raced over to Annabeth. Her eyes widened, and her eyes said, Please, Percy, really. Go.
I glared down at the pots, ignoring Annabeth. How was I gonna get over them? I saw the barrel again, and I concentrated on it. It levitated over to me and I got on top of it, hovering carefully above. It went above the fire, and the basilisks hissed at me. I slowly went to Annabeth, and I unhooked her dagger from her belt. She shook her head, a tear cascading down her cheek, and I slit the gag from her mouth. Her eyes brimmed with tears as she stared at me. "Percy," she started.
Something sharp stabbed through my back, and I was horrified to see the blade push through the front of my shirt. The breath rushed out of me, and Annabeth sobbed. I felt myself get lifted up, the barrel of water spinning away from beneath me and the fire rushed higher. Someone threw me against a post, and fire spun around me.
Annabeth screamed and started kicking at the post desperately. Two of the buff dudes that looked disturbingly like Buff Dude grabbed her legs and began to gag her again. Her eyes flared and she flipped her dagger. It flew into the air, and to my surprise, it spiraled downward, and cut through her leg ropes. She balled her fists and shook her arms; the bounds broke and she fell to the ground, for a horrible moment disappearing behind the Greek fire. Then she shot up, a tornado of gray wind spiraling beneath her. She shot forward and arched over me, and suddenly I heard Buff Dude's voice shout, "AAYAA!" and he flew into the Greek fire. I looked away, and winced. The blade was still embedded in my skin.
Annabeth swooped down and picked me up by the shoulders. We soared high, and burst through the ceiling. The city of NYC was below us. As we lowered down and touched the ground behind the Lotus Casino, Annabeth whispered, "Now you owe me."
I managed a faint smile and said, "Yeah."
She kissed me lightly. "Don't die on me, Seaweed Brain."
I blacked out.
Sorry it's so short! I'll upload two today!
Any requests? How am I doing?
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