Final chapter.

I am not Rick Riordan, thus I own none of his properties (nor talent).

The Final Curse of Hades

Percy's Tribute

~3rd Person's P.O.V.~

On my twenty first birthday, I was bestowed the last portion of the inheritance I would receive from my Father.

No one told me I would get the heirloom. There was no warning, no prepared method to tell me how to deal with it - nothing at all to guide my experience with the bequeathed birthright.

Maybe there would have been, if Bianca had lived long enough to discover it.

I'm so fucking glad she hadn't.

Dawson's suicide was the first thing to happen because of the Curse. It was unpredictable. There was no way I could've done anything. Even as the son of Death Himself, I could not have interfered.

The gods must have meddled a bit with the situation, considering no one showed up at my door to interrogate me. That, or it was just too obvious that Dawson had died by his own hand, and they didn't bother with a dead-end investigation.

So I had no idea I was connected.

Nonetheless, he died because of me.

And James, James was so different.

He was by far my favorite mortal. And his loss took so long to get over.

Actually, I never got over it. I coped, but, I mean, I killed him.

Same story, but much longer. We were in love. His last words were a declaration of love to the man who took his life with that same affection. After a childhood of oppression from his homophobic parents and abuse from the only other family in his life, he died just as freedom came into his reach.

And I never got to say 'I love you' back.

Just as everyone suspected, Jason's breakdown was my fault.

From what you know now, that shouldn't surprise you terribly.

Jason was last seen sane claiming to come check on me. When he came back, he was silent, mad, and desperate to get to his own cabin.

No matter how many times I said otherwise, Camp Jupiter was convinced I consciously did something to him. But I was somehow able to plead that he was fine at my house, and that with all of the stress he was under, it was bound to happen.

And eventually, they went for it.

Sometimes I wish I was just persecuted instead.

I'm not sure how long it took for me to be told about Cecil. But eventually, Annabeth texted me to ask what the Hades happened that night.

I was honest this time. I told her that Cecil had forced himself on me while I was drunk, and I left in a panic.

I withheld that it was kind of my fault.

In the same week, Jason successfully killed himself in the Asylum. Father informed me, but refused to tell me the method.

It must've been horrible.

I can't even express my grief, even here. Not properly.

If I had any brains, any sense whatsoever, I would've stopped.

But it took one more soul.

Percy was so... Percy. It's infuriating. But I loved him.

I couldn't help it. I loved him so strongly that eventually, I let him in my life. I thought, if my love was genuine enough in return, I could keep him alive.

I was wrong.

I know that the first person to see this note will be you, Hazel. It couldn't be anyone else - there is no one left.

Please know that the Curse will not be passed to you. Father can explain, if you ever stress further about it.

I need you to find it in your heart to forgive me. Know that I never wanted to kill a single person. But it happened. Please understand that I never had a choice in this. Also, if this by any means helps, they died by my influence, but not by my hand.

At least with my death, this will stop.

By the time you read this, I will be dead. I am still not sure how I want to do this. Traditionally, I should use my sword and cut my arms open. Vertically, right?

Actually, I have never been traditional. I have decided.

By the time you read this, I will be dead. My body is in the bottom of the lake, or the top, depending. Shit floats, I'm told.

I love you, Hazel. Remember that there was no alternative, nor was there a way to live with the damage I caused.

Goodbye.