HEY! I know this took ages, but stuff happens. This story will not be abandoned! Promise.
neerajevishal8924: Thank you so much for your review! It really made my day. I'm not sure about the pairing just yet, many different ideas!
: Thanks! That's a lot of caps lock... ^_^
: Thank you. Yes, I think that it's good for Percy to have a friend.
Jack: Thanks :P. I'm not sure what the pairing is, I'm kind of making it up as I go along.
Sup'Nut: Thank you. Yes, Paul died. I think that in the coming chapters I'll mention Tyson (He's awesome). Yeah, Autumn is one of my favourite characters as well.
Airi13: Thank you. I'm glad that the plot hasn't become a total flop!
Thank you to everyone who reviewed! They make me feel special! Also, I do try to write this. It's just that I had massive writers block, started watching Supernatural and try to make the chapters at least two thousand words long. I am trying!
Anyway, on with the story! Please enjoy and tell me what you think. Also, if you care who ends up with Winter/Percy, please say. I think I'm leaning towards Spring, purely because I like Autumn being his friend and Spring reminds me of life, whereas Winter reminds me of death. The whole opposites attract thing.
Thank you for reading!
Winter was staring at the angry ocean at the edge of the camp. The grey water reflected his sorrow perfectly. The choppiness of the sea reflected his anger. The continuous flow reflected his hopelessness.
So easily, he'd been defeated so easily. He was one of the most powerful beings currently residing on this planet and he'd been defeated as if he were an amateur. He had spent decades distancing himself from his emotions, and they'd been risen to the surface almost instantly.
There had to have been some kind of primordial essence at work. There had to have been. He couldn't be that weak.
"Are you all right?" It was Autumn. In the last 24 hours, Autumn had been one of the most stable. After the initial attack she'd seemed almost back to normal. At least on the outside.
Winter snorted. He really felt like giving a snappy retort back at what he considered an abysmal question. Who in Hades' realm was okay after that? Even Autumn couldn't be completely alright.
Instead he replied with a simple, "No."
Autumn sighed. She'd been afraid of this. "Percy-"
"Don't call me that." Winter cut in. "That is not who I am."
"Winter," She conceded, recognising that it wouldn't be wise anger him more, lest he fly off. "I don't know what you saw. I don't know what she told you after we were defeated. You don't have to tell me. You haven't an obligation to spill all your secrets. But," She paused, both to make the conversation more dramatic and give him time to think about it. "what's happened has happened and there's nothing you can do to change that. You'll drive yourself mad thinking about it.
"I understand that it may be hard, but try to move on."
Autumn gave him a stern look before walking away. People seemed to be doing that quite often lately. Telling him some psychological thing before leaving to let him think about it.
It was really irritating. (A/N sorry I keep doing that. I don't mean to)
Deciding that he wouldn't give anyone else the chance to annoy him more, he stood up and opened his wings. In the past, he would have fled to the ocean. Alas, if he submerged himself in the depths of the sea again, his father would surely notice his presence. That couldn't happen.
He slowly gained altitude, allowing the winds to guide him journey. Flying was one of the few things he enjoyed doing now. Up above where not one human could see him, he could safely remove his hood and scarf. He could show his face and enjoy the fresh air.
Noting his position, he descended upon the overhanging branch of a large tree. Below him was a glen with a small stream and little vegetation. Sitting down, he gazed without thoughts passing through his mind. Just looking; without noticing, at the beautiful scenery.
He'd come across this small paradise two nights past in much the same way as he had now, allowing the winds to guide him.
What was so special about this place? Sure it was pretty, but there must have been something more to it. If there wasn't, there wouldn't he wouldn't have been guided here.
Winter sighed and looked down, now taking notice of what was below him. It was just possible to see a small speck of bronze, glinting underneath the surface of the stream. It was barely the size of a pinprick in diameter, yet clearly visible to his battle trained eye.
Winter scanned the glen for any threat he may to be bothered with. The lack of flora caused there to be little fauna as well. It was empty.
Winter leapt off the branch and next to the stream, not bothering to unfurl his wings for what he now considered a tiny distance. Upon further inspection, it was slightly rusted, as if it had been in a large body of water for a very long time, before being taken out and placed here. It appeared to be tubed shaped and slightly larger on one end.
Winter looked at it for a good moment before coming to a realisation.
"What belongs to the sea will always return to the sea." Winter muttered, turning the pen in his hands.
Autumn was losing her patience. In most circumstances, she had an abundance. But when it came to people being horrible to each to each other for no reason, she couldn't help it. She paced up and down along the edge of their camp, before turning to face Spring again.
"Why, Fern? Why is it that you can be perfectly lovely to everyone except Winter? He's not that bad." This was at least the third discussion on the subject.
In Spring's opinion, Winter was a heartless monster who shouldn't be allowed to stand on the same earth as everyone else. In Autumn's opinion, Winter was a misunderstood boy who didn't know how to correctly deal with grief. If only he had more people around him. They could see that he was, in fact, a lovely person longing for a friend and he could see that not all people were two headed snakes who'd betray him without a second thought.
Alas, neither girl would listen to the other's argument about how Winter truly was and the result had been many arguments Summer had had to sit through.
"Because, as stated in the paragraph above, I think that he's a heartless monster who shouldn't be allowed to stand on the same earth as everyone else." When Autumn looked at Spring in confusion, Spring sighed and continued.
"Anyone reading this would understand." Spring muttered under her breath, before continuing in her chirpy voice. "The point is, I don't like him. There's something off about him. Something not to be trusted. The way he holds himself. The emotionless demeanour." Spring shook her head.
"Is all a facade!" Autumn continued. "It's not the real him, which you'd know if you tried to get to know him. Right, Summer?"
The girls looked towards the mentioned immortal who was lounging on the ground, playing with small fires at the tips of his fingers. He started and sat up quickly, allowing the flames to fade out of existence. "Yes?"
When the girls shook their heads at him, Summer tried again. "No?"
They shook their heads again. "Well, how was I supposed to know that I should've been listening to your conversation? I thought it was rude to eavesdrop." Summer whined indignantly.
"Aubrey asked you whether the Winter that we know is just a facade and that if you got to know him, you'd find him completely different." Spring supplied helpfully. She didn't mind Summer. He had been very nice to her since day one.
"I imagine so," Summer began. "The Percy that I knew was completely different to this new Winter. I didn't like him for a bit, but he was always really; and just generally, good. I doubt that one person can change that much in three centuries. If that past Percy was really how Percy was, and I think it was, I don't think he could completely be the person he portrays himself to be now."
Summer stopped and saw that Autumn and Spring were looking at him, eyes almost bulging out of their sockets. "What?" Summer asked self-consciously.
"You just said something serious and well thought out. Without a joke." Autumn replied.
"Well, even I can do that sometimes. If you'd like, I can give you a Team Leo shirt. That used to be a thing." Summer grinned and the balance of the multiverse was restored in the eyes of Spring and Autumn.
"Thank you very much for proving my point, Summer." Autumn proceeded to turn to Spring a little smugly. "Told you so."
Spring huffed, clicked her heels together, and flew off in the direction of the camp.
"She just can't handle the truth, can she?" Summer questioned, staring at the fleeing figure of Spring.
"No. It seems she cannot." Autumn frowned. She seemed to be talking to people much more than usual lately. Was that a good thing? "Although, if I'm honest, I think that all of us can never truly accept these sorts of things. Once you've judged someone's character, very little can completely change your mind."
"I suppose that's the case with some people. But with others it's different." Summer paused. "Anyway, enough of this. It's getting way too serious a conversation."
Summer stood up and stretched before shooting into the sky and yelling, "Race you to the beach!"
Autumn replied with a, "I'll even give you a head start. 1…2...3!" There was a loud crack and she seemingly disappeared from existence.
Summer was almost there. He could see the door. It was right in front of him. Slowly, he edged closer and closer to it. There was a sudden blast of hot air coming from below the entrance.
He jumped back like a startled cat, instinctively knowing that it would be bad to touch the air. The particles of an invisible poison were creeping up to the crevice he'd made his hiding spot. Thinking quickly, Summer blew his own blast of hot air towards it. Like a line of soldiers under his command, it pushed the poison back and under the door.
Summer could leave right now if he wished. Whoever had sent the poison no doubt knew that it had been sent back. They were alerted of his presence.
Summer could leave, go safely home where he'd continue training kids to fight a battle where victory was improbable. They'd have no help in the coming battle, they'd have nothing to surprise their opponents and give them that small edge.
Or Summer could continue forward. He could go through the entrance way and possibly find some secret weapon. Something that could potentially save many lives. He could help the current demigods in a way that no one had helped him.
Forward or back. Forward or back. Forward or-
"Back?" Another voice stepped out of the shadows. "That's right, forward or back. They're the only choices you have, right?"
It was a beautiful woman. She was dressed in a traditional Greek style. Summer was sure he'd seen her somewhere before.
"You don't remember me, do you?" The woman questioned, raising an eyebrow (Summer wished he could do that) "I suppose it shouldn't come to any surprise. It was years ago and I more helped Hazel than you. I am Hecate. The Dark Lady. Goddess of crossroads amongst other things. And I am here to help you make your choice."
Summer stared at her. He remembered Hazel telling him about her experience with Hecate. She had been presented with three horrible scenarios. Hazel had managed to create another, not-so-bad scenario. Although, that had kind of caused him to die…
"Hecate?" Summer asked, a tinge of fear in his voice. If it was indeed her, this was not good.
"Yes. That's right. I'm glad your hearing is working." Hecate replied, slightly annoyed.
"Why are you here? What do you mean you're here to help me make a choice?"
"Like you said, in that small mind of yours. Forward or back. That is a metaphor I've put in your head. You can go back. Leave the camps in their fruitless fight against the coming opposing army. Continue living, though ashamed in your existence. You can go forward and continue fighting, training and resisting your enemy. Or,"
Hecate paused and pointed towards the wall opposite where another doorway revealed itself.
"You can go lead your enemy to victory and what you consider your allies into chaos. Lower case. And possibly see your love again."
Three screen-like images appeared in the air next to Hecate, each depicting a less than satisfactory scenario. All containing a future with too much bloodshed, though one with Calypso seeing him again. Gods he missed her.
A steady build-up of voices and white noise suddenly burst inside his head. The voices of all whose opinions had and did matter to him scream out what choice he should make. Clutching at his head, Summer crouched and attempted to think through the pain of what felt like several large elephants charging through his skull, as loud as several brass bands.
It was too much. Summer was going to pass out, which was odd since he was asleep. The edges of his vision were tinged white and slowly his surroundings melted away. A loud voice was calling his name.
He was waking up.
The last of his dream was Hecate gesturing towards his choices saying, "You'll need to have made your choice soon. Choose wisely."
"Summer!" Summer opened his eyes and to see three other pairs looking back at him.
"Yes?" He had no idea what else to say. The lingering effect of his nightmare wasn't fading. He had no idea whether or not he should tell these people about his choice. Somehow it felt private, as if he shouldn't tell anyone; yet at the same time, this was his team. He should be able to tell them anything.
Luckily he was saved from saying any more by Winter mumbling, "You sleep like the dead."
"Thank you. I'll take that as a compliment." Summer smiled and could tell that Winter was tempted to smile back. Instead, he shook his head and looked away.
Taking control of the situation, Spring looked at Summer, "You really do though. We tried to wake you for age-"
"I think we should start doing trust and team building exercises."
Everyone looked at Autumn in puzzlement, even Winter forgot to look grumpy, "What?"
Spring and Summer mirrored his question.
"We are very weak as a team." When everyone started protesting, Autumn continued, "It's true." Autumn said the end part a bit defensively.
Summer was torn. He really wanted to see Calypso again. He wanted to see her, more that he could express.
But it was wrong. In doing the steps necessary to see her, he'd have to betray more people than he cared to count. He'd have to turn his back on people he'd never met, on people who were his friends. On Chaos, the primordial who had given him a new purpose when he'd lost hope.
How could he do that?
"What do you think, Summer?" Leo looked up at Spring.
"I think that there are many secrets in this team, and that if we want to achieve what we're set out to do, we'll have to become better allies and friends." Summer kept his gaze steady. They were looking at him in confusion. There were tears in his eyes.
An impossible decision. He couldn't betray anyone in this camp. He couldn't. But could he live without Calypso? Could he move on?
Winter was looking at him, studying him. It was obvious that he knew exactly what was going on inside Summer's head.
"When life gives you lemons, make sure they're not rotten." Winter mumbled in a voice only Summer could hear.
A cold shiver ran up his spine. Winter could be a dangerous friend, but he'd be a lethal enemy.
"Of course." Whatever happened, Summer would make the right choice.
And there's the end. hopefully I won't be as long with the next chapter, but procrastination is a big hobby of mine. Have a lovely day!
-Ember