Freedom

~.~.~.~

Part I: Chapter X

Regrets and Familiar Faces

Jason reacted quickly, standing protectively in front of Piper with his gladius out in hand. The others stood beside him, Jason glaring daggers at him. Zethes locked gazes with Piper who placed a hand on Jason's shoulder and gave him a look. Jason didn't want to but understood and moved a little out of the way as Zethes walked up to Piper, looking actually heartbroken as she stepped around Jason to meet him.

"How did you find us?" Hazel demanded, anger flooding her eyes eyes.

"The anklet my sister gave Piper. It was a tracker." he answered. Piper was frozen in place, obviously in shock as Jason hissed as Zethes looked at Piper.

"Piper, ma petite colombe, why run from me?" he said desperately. His eyes were red and angry. He cupped Piper's cheek in a tender manor but Jason's gladius appeared, a growl escaping his mouth as he held his gladius's sharp edge close to Zethes neck which forced him to retract his hand.

"Don't touch her." Jason warned menacingly. Jason gently pushed Piper behind him, holding on to her hand with the blade still near Zethes neck. Zethes looked taken aback, his gaze zeroing in on Jason's hand holding Piper's and instantly the shock on his face was replaced with a cold demeanor.

He won't hurt me, she tried to say to Jason as he held her back, not releasing her hand.

"I see. You want my fiancé for yourself. But you can't. She is mine." Zethes thundered, his anger growing tenfold as he stood dangerously close to Jason.

"She is not a trophy. You are forcing her in the most vile way to be with you and that's going to end." Jason said firmly, he was going to end this and he was going to make sure that Piper knew the truth.

"Bah, it was a small use of the Mist to boost her love for me." Zethes growled as he pushed Jason out the way and grabbed her arm as shock registered on her face. Mist, he used the mist on me? Piper struggled out of his grip, growling silently at him

So you're using the Mist on me? You pig! The anger on her face said it all.

"My dear, It was just to keep you from running. You had so much hatred for me before and that had to change to get you to stay." Zethes grasped Piper's other arm, he was trying to sway her but Piper knew exactly what she was feeling, anger, hurt, hatred not love towards Zethes.

Let go! She mouthed. Zethes in fact saw and froze at her silent words again. His grip was tight and was making her already given from Cal bruise even worse. He was in shock at what she had said to him. You're hurting me! Zethes dropped her arms, just staring at her, he actually looked hurt by what she said.

"Your leaving me?" Piper hesitated as she searched in his eyes for her answer as she searched inside herself. She couldn't be with someone who tricked her. She sighed before she nodded.

"Because you're a sick son of a bi-" Michael put his hand over Ashley's mouth, making her glare at him as he silenced her foul tongue.

You tricked me. I can't marry you. Piper mouthed sadly, her eyes filled with regret and sadness.

"Alright then." He turned his back on them and walked off to the guards. Just when they thought they were home free. But then Zethes turned around and said, "If I can't have you, no one can." he said coldly. "Kill them all." he ordered before flying away on the wings Piper forgot he had. Piper forgot he could summon his wings at will. She forgot he had wings at all. The guards bared their weapons at them. They were surrounded.

"Piper," Jason whispered. "Reach into my back pocket. Your knife is in there and your cornucopia is strapped to my side." She wondered how did Jason have it but then she remembered, Oh yeah, hot boyfriend. Piper slowly moved her hand and reached for her knife. Thank the gods he had it or she would be weapon less before this battle. She pulled it out just as the guards charged. Then she unstrapped her cornucopia as Jason flew up and summoned lightning. The lightning hit one of the guards dazing them.

"We don't need to kill anyone, just get out of here!" Hazel shouted. Piper charged a guard ready to fight. She missed the thrill of it. Her dagger clashed with the guards spear. The guard swung it over her head and she ducked and punched the guard in the stomach. He got a good nip at her leg but she fiercely kneed him in the groin feeling like the definition of a badass and ran over to the chariot where Hazel was quickly attaching Arion too. She pulled out her cornucopia and concentrated on happiness -her friends, hoping that Leo was alive- as it burst out a bunch of hams on the guards.

"Come on!" Michael yelled. Percy looked back and knocked out a guard with the hilt of his sword. Jason flew over and once they were inside, Arion took off leaving the sound of a sonic boom behind.

Percy was feeling very envious. He was "back from the dead" as everyone called it. He reunited with his mother, some of his friends, but that didn't fix the hole in him. Well, figuratively speaking. Annabeth was still gone. Annabeth was still gone. She was missing. So far, out of everyone he met up with seem to have never heard from her. Either, she was hiding out, which is awesome, or, Percy didn't even want to think about the other option.

Percy wished he was on Jason's side of the problem. Yet again, he wouldn't want to put Jason in his shoes, or be in Jason's shoes himself. If Percy saw Annabeth everywhere, he would think of it more as torture rather than feeling relieved that her ghost was still with him. If Annabeth's hand was ever forced in marriage, Percy didn't know what he would do. Actually, he did. He would have wreaked havoc on all of Zethes' family and made sure that they would never follow. If Annabeth "Mistically had fallen in love with someone else…he'd die inside…but then he'd just "kidnap her" the same way they did to Piper.

Percy would be damned if they ever thought of taking Annabeth's voice away. This is why he felt so guilty every time he looked at Piper. He could have stopped what happened to her. If he was there. He could have stopped all of Gaea's reign. If he was there. Now, all he wanted to do was rip her to pieces with his bare hands.

Percy felt a hand on his shoulder. He saw Hazel in the front of the chariot while Ashley, Michael, Jason, and Piper were in the back sleeping. Her eyes looked tired but determined.

"Hey, you take rest. I'll take steer." she said. Percy didn't even need to argue with her orders. He gave the reigns over to Hazel and immediately fell asleep. But he wished he didn't. Because with sleep, comes demigod dreams.

Percy was in a dark room. The walls were cement and there were lines scratched on them. The room gave off a terrible aura of pain and suffering. It felt like Tartarus again. How could anyone survive in a room like this?

Percy heard a familiar soft groan and the rustling of chains. His head snapped as he lost his breath and nearly choked.

"Annabeth!" he cried. Her once vivacious and honey golden curls were now longer, pale, and sprawled over her face. Her skin was no longer tan and was more of an ashen white. Her eyes were drooping and the color looked an unhealthy shade of grey. Her hands and feet were bound in chains to the walls. Her Camp necklace was still on. She had a couple of faded scars so Percy knew that someone had hurt her. He rushed over to her side, but the moment he touched her, his hands went through her and she rippled, like some type of hologram.

"What?" he whispered to himself in disbelief. Annabeth was staring right into his eyes as if she didn't even notice he was there. She was slightly trembling as if she lost all of her will. The door opened and Annabeth whimpered and put her face in her knees and put her hands over her knees.

"Annabeth, what's happening?" he asked, still in disbelief. Footsteps entered the room and the door slammed to a close. Percy turned around. Gaea. In all of her full formed glory. Well, he couldn't really say full formed. After all, she had to steal Reyna's body to live properly and adjust to this world. But that would never truly look like Reyna anymore.

"It's time, you pathetic excuse for a daughter of the wisdom goddess. You couldn't even get yourself out of this," she taunted, "Guess you really were just the sidekick". Gaea kicked Annabeth making her cry out in pain. Percy tried to call out to her but his body wouldn't react.

Gaea faced Percy now and smirked in a dark and sinister way.

"I will kill you...I swear on the River Styx, you will end." Percy growled.

Gaea ignored him. "Your time will come, but not for a while. For now, I don't need you watching this." Gaea used her hand to slash at Percy's face as if she was cutting of his dream. The last thing he heard was Annabeth screaming bloody murder.

"Annabeth!" Percy shouted as he opened his eyes. It was morning and the chariot was no longer moving. They were in some type of clearing near a mountain. Arion was grazing as the others had a fire going. Jason and Piper were talking. Piper sat with a small distance between them, but she just needed time, and Jason was giving her that. Piper didn't really look as much as a glamorous bride as she didn't the day before. Ashley had the cornucopia and was popping out a small picnic. Michael sat beside her, watching her yet making small conversation.

"You okay, Perce?" Jason asked. He looked much happier, and healthier, than he did before. The fatigue was still there, but maybe just having Piper beside him was enough.

"Yeah, just a nightmare." he replied.

"We can tell. You scream a lot in your sleep." Michael said nonchalantly. Percy blushed in embarrassment. Hazel walked over to him as he hopped out of the chariot with a sandwich in a napkin. Percy gave her a grateful smile.

"Are you sure?" Hazel asked softly. "It was about Annabeth wasn't it?" Percy pursed his lips. He didn't know what to say or how to start. Everyone had his attention.

"She was in some type of locked room." Percy had a hard time letting it out. This was Annabeth he was talking about. He had to get her out. He couldn't let her go through what she was. He will find her. Hazel put on his arm in comfort. She was the sister he never had. "And-And Gaea was there. I think she's torturing her. She was chained to walls, Oh Gods, the walls! They had tally marks all over it probably signalling how many days she's been in there. Scratch days, maybe even the whole damn seven years and it's my entire fault!" He finished in anger, throwing the sandwich off the mountain.

"Percy..." Hazel whispered softly but he just continued.

"She looked so," Percy choked back an angry sob, "broken, fragile. Her eyes were…dull. That wasn't Annabeth. That couldn't be Annabeth. She is strong, a smart, and more alive than that..." Percy wiped his eyes as Hazel hugged him. Piper put a hand on his shoulder, sympathy in her eyes.

"We'll find her." Jason said determined. "Trust me man, if you've managed to bring together all of us so far in the span of only a week, we will find Annabeth." Percy smiled sadly as he wiped away the tears with the back of his hand.

"Yeah," he agreed, "And I'll make sure Gaea dies before she can take her away from me again."

"Did anyone else notice how weird Gaea was acting during the wedding?" Ashley asked. Piper shuddered involuntarily as if that word now scared her. Hazel snapped her fingers.

"Yes, Gaea. When we took Piper, Gaea didn't even hesitate to not move. She just sat there like she knew this would happen." She said quickly in realisation.

"She did. In my dream, she said something about how it's not our time yet." Percy said. "We'll figure it out later. Right now. What's our next move?"

"We have to find Frank, Leo, and Annabeth" Hazel said.

"And how do we do that?" Michael asked. Percy pulled a drachma out of his pocket and smirked.

"Like this." He summoned water from a nearby pond and held it up at the light to make a rainbow. He threw the coin in the rainbow and the drachma disappeared. He prayed it would work. He knew that Iris still had bits of magic in the air, if Zethes was able to manipulate the Mist that was supposedly lifted then so could Percy. Rachel's face had appeared. His mother was sipping on tea and reading a book. Piper jumped up at the sight along with Hazel whose hand was over her mouth.

"Hello?" Percy called out. Rachel pulled out a bat from under the couch. His mother looked over at the IM with amusement. Rachel saw Percy's face face and sighed in relief.

"Don't scare me like that!" she growled as he chuckled. Percy waved his hand.

"Look who wants to say hi." Percy moved back from the view to let Piper and Hazel see the IM. Rachel scrambled up.

"You found them!" Rachel said. Percy nodded. Piper waved timidly. If she had her voice she would be just as ecstatic as they were to see them.

"And Hazel, it's nice to officially unofficially meet you!" Rachel exclaimed. Being the oracle/psychic has its perks. Rachel met Hazel and Frank without actually having to meet them. During the battle they must have seen each other, but they never really met.

"Same to you!" she replied blushing.

"Sorry to interrupt this party, but, remember our quest." Michael said. Percy nodded.

"Oh yes, we need to know where to go next?" Rachel grinned.

"Actually, you're all in the right place." she said.

"But we need to find Frank, Leo, and Annabeth." he said a bit more confused now. Before Rachel could reply and whooshing sound pierced the air. An arrow made its way past Percy's ear and hit the bark of a tree.

"Who is looking for him?" a voice rang out. A boy made his way out of the bushes. He had blonde hair and bright blue eyes. He was aiming at Percy and he knew that if he let the arrow fly, it just might kill him. Percy put his hands up in surrender.

"Do you know who we are looking for?" Percy asked. He had to make sure he kept a hold on the water powering the IM. Maybe Iris was helping them with whatever ounce of power the goddess had left. But he wasn't going to waste.

"Should it matter?" He questioned. Percy didn't know who this guy was. But even though he was saying little, he wanted to pull out Riptide and slash his mouth of. He didn't like his "tude". The guy was slightly muscular and his balance was okay. Light on his feet? Based on the way his heels are slightly off the ground and he wasn't shaking, yup.

Eh, Percy could take him.

He's gotten so used to sizing up people he didn't act completely impulsive all the time. He had to give the props to Annabeth for being with him all the time. She was rubbing off on him. Percy smiled inwardly but remembered his surroundings.

"Depends." Ashley challenged with her bow aimed to match his, "Well, if you drop the bow."

Jason glanced at Ashley then turned to the dude, "We mean no harm, but you're pointing a weapon at us, it's only fair if we do the same."

"What's going on? Who's that?" Rachel asked.

The guys grip hardened on the bow. "Close the Iris Message and I might let you speak. I don't know who any of you are, but you'll be dealing with the Council Now."

"What Council?" Percy's eyes widened. You're all in the right place. Jason seemed to be the only other one to get it as well. The guy lowered his bow a little, enough for Ashley to see his face.

She squinted, "Wait a second…"

"When you mean the council, do you mean the Council of Cloven Elders?" Jason asked with a hint of a smile. The guy frowned.

"Yeah why?" he asked. Percy grinned.

"Because the leader is my best friend." Percy said. The guy dropped his bow making him vulnerable and that when Ashley realised who the person was.

"Will!?" Ashley cried out. Will looked up and fear grew in his eyes.

"Ashley, Wait, are you…" Percy rolled his eyes getting bored with all the shocked expressions.

"Percy Jackson, yes." The guys hard, wary expression melted and replaced itself with a grin, excitement

Ashley glared at him, Michael frowned, Hazel looked confused and the others held a smile.

"Whoa, you look different." Jason said.

"I can say the same. I didn't recognize any of you."

"I'm Hazel," she held her hand out. Piper hugged him and Jason and Percy gave him one of those bro hugs. Michael stood by him awkwardly.

"So, you're not going to hug you're brother?" He started dramatically, "The brother you love. The brother who has cared for you since-"

Ashley scowled. "Oh shut up, Solace. I want to punch you in the throat for escaping without me, but you're lucky that I'm over it." She said with a shrug. Ashley then smiled and hugged her brother.

"Am I missing something?" Percy asked. Will nodded.

"A lot actually. It's a long story, but anyway, it's been seven, eight years since you've all been here, right? Blame it all on Gaea." Will said.

"Wait. What?" Hazel asked putting her hands up in a time out signal. "What is here?"

Home, Piper mouthed. Percy nodded in agreement. The more he thought of it, the jumpier he got. He hasn't been this excited since the first time he reunited with Annabeth in New Rome.

"That's right. New Greece," Will said. "Follow me. Everyone will be ecstatic to see you all." He started walking in between hidden trees and bushes. They reached a cave concealed by a large boulder. Will put his hand up on the boulder and the boulder flickered. He stepped through. Percy followed. His heart thumped in his chest.

"New Greece?" she questioned. Light shined on his face as he stepped into or through the boulder. Percy grinned and smelt the natural strawberry scented air. He looked behind to see that he stepped through what was a portal. But it looked like Thalia's Pine tree. Everything was exactly the same. From what it looked like, they were standing on the top of Half Blood Hill.

The Big House was at the base standing tall and blue. Campers were dresses in their Camp T-shirt and talking and playing around happily and freely. Some were walking in and out of the arena, and some were on the Lava Wall. The twelve Cabins stood tall and gleaming. The hearth was aflame and warm as the heart. The lake glittered and the only thing missing was the beach connected to the Long Island Sound.

"It's as beautiful as I remember." Hazel said in awe. Percy took off his hoodie along with Jason. They both had their t-shirts on and all of them had their clay bead necklaces. It was as if it was never left destroyed and rebuilt. Percy grinned. It was as if he never was gone.

"It's Camp Half-Blood." he whispered.

KDOH: Hello everyone. Yep, here is the next chapter, i am glad that you all enjoyed the last chapter. I just wanted to let you all know that I will be finishing Freedom. I have quite a lot of chapters already written ahead and I also have the plan almost fully completed so this story will be finished, i promise you all it will be. Hope you liked this chapter and I will see you all next time.