Sorry for the long wait, but this is where things really heat up and I'm trying to make it as toxic as possible. That came out wrong, actually. Toxic as in exciting, burning hot-okay, whatever. Here's the story.


Darkness. Like Tartarus. Spilling out like liquid obsidian (A/N: Scientifically, it would be lava, but you get the point.) and drowning me in its pitch-black clutches.

A small light flickered in the void, all of a sudden coming alive. It floated around in front of me, as if telling me to follow. Reaching out with a shaking hand, I felt a comfortable warmth radiating from it.

The smell of Percy, something told me. I needed to get to him. Didn't he need my help? I made a desperate swat at the gold spark, trying to get it, but it gently fluttered just enough to avoid my hand. My annoyance spiked.

Stop it, Percy! I giggled. As if someone was listening to my complaint, I suddenly regained feeling in my toes. I got up with difficulty, wobbled a little bit, and followed the small golden orb to into the void. The darkness spread out like a drop of white paint in tenfolds of black, blooming out and allowing me to step into an eternal hallway.

Where we was going I had no idea. Something in my mind just told me to follow this ball, let me be guided by its light.

My steps echoed dimly as I continued following the fluttering beacon. I don't know how long I walked, seeing nothing but the dark blotchy void stir as we passed through. I am only aware that the deeper I travel, the darker the ink becomes and the smaller my little air pocket becomes. For some reason, I know that touching the void would probably be the end of me.

The more I walked, the more tired I felt. A heavy weight was pressed on my shoulders, as if I was carrying, say, Percy on my back. Oh, Percy. Where was he now? What have I done to him? The weight on my back steadily increased as I followed the orb. It was like a giant hand was pressing me down, the closer I got to the owner and it presumed me as more of a threat.

My little light bubble was only arm-wide now. The shadows were flickering around, skirting around the light. It was like the orb was getting weaker and weaker, unable to keep the demons away. Some brave ones already began to advance-parts of dark oily gas attempted to get in, only to retreat just as quickly

Finally, the orb stopped, pulsing gently. I froze, sensing something important was going to happen. The pulsing grew more urgent, the bulb beginning to flash.

Everything in my mind shouted for me to back away-what if it exploded? The orb was rapidly expanding, looking like a miniature sun, solar flares erupting from its surface. I was trapped, though-backing up would leave me at the mercy of the darkness.

The weight on my back was beginning to become unbearable. It vaguely reminded me of holding up the sky back in California.

California...that seemed like an eon ago. Percy, showing up heroically to save her, even if she still loved Luke. Percy...just the thought of him hurt me head. He was a god. He was missing. Because of me.

Suddenly the pressure was too much. Waves of guilt washed over me, weakening my legs and chilling my bones. I was done. This is it. I didn't know where I was, but I was giving up. I was going to die cold, alone, and depressed, without Percy by my side.

It was only fair, seeing what I did to him.

And right then, the ball of gold exploded, seemingly magma bursting out from the insides, spilling into a new form, showering me with warmth and light.

It was Percy, basked in a golden glow, surrounded by an aura of both power and calm. The shadows immediately skirted away, darting around almost in a nervous manner. He smiled his sweet, crooked smile, the warmth beckoning me towards him.

Before I could tell myself "hey, it might be a trap" my feet disobeyed and I flung myself at him, tears were pouring down my face and dripping onto the front of his shirt. "Oh, Percy," I sobbed, feeling him run a warm hand through my hair.

"It's alright, it's alright," I vaguely heard Percy murmur."It's okay." Just hearing his voice sent a chill down my spine, making me shiver in delight. I took in a deep breath, sucking in his smell with greed.

Percy tilted my head back. "You have never looked better," Percy said, and I stared into his eyes.

They say that eyes are the window to someone's soul. What I saw in there was a bright splash of green, a mischievous twinkle, and gentle yet fiery gaze. He brushed a loose strand of hair off my face, leaning in closer.

I couldn't take the tension anymore. Poor Seaweed Brain never learned how to make a move. I leaned in and kissed him.

Pachinko balls ping-ponged around in my chest, as we kissed in a way we haven't ever kissed before. Both of us were hungry for the other-weeks of pressure released as our kissing grew even more intense, me feeling like something melted between us. Sure, he had forgiven me that day on the bridge-however, this was the first time I had actually forgiven myself.

The orb was back. Percy stepped out of our embrace and smiled at me, sending a warm sensation coursing from by scalp all the way down to my toes.

Slowly, a blinding light filled my vision, accompanied by a gentle ringing, my eyes tunneling on Percy's face, and then….

…..nothing.

"Annabeth, wake up."

A gentle wave lifted me up. I was on a boat. With Percy. He smiled at me, and then leaned in to kiss me. The steady rocking intensified, suddenly making me dizzy. Percy's eyes flashed red for a second, and a huge wave crashed over the boat, tossing my overboard. Down… down… down...

My eyes snapped open.

I saw Rachel's concerned face, leaning over mine. The smell of ambrosia and nectar stung my nose, and I realized that I was lying on something soft.

I sat up a little too fast and felt the world jerk to an awkward angle, making me want to throw up. I laid down again.

Everything suddenly came back to me; the airport, the man, the fight, the crash. So where were we now? The side of the road? Or was this Elysium?

I looked around. I was still alive, I assumed. I was what looked like a comfortable bedroom in some kind of log cabin. There was a fireplace burning merrily in one corner, comfortable plush seating arranged in front of a tea table and a 40' flat screen TV. There was a large painted picture of Poseidon, which I took as a good omen. I was sitting on a leather reclining couch.

Mustering my strength, I used the couch back to brace myself up into sitting position. "Where are we?" I asked Rachel.

Rachel looked around uncomfortably. "I really don't know…..all I remember is the car crash….and then I woke up on the couch, and I've been tending to you ever since. I haven't looked around a lot, because you kept moaning and muttering Percy's name. Bit distracting."

I shook my head to clear up my dizziness, then shakily stood up. The only way to get out was a tough-looking door that was locked from the outside. There were no windows, and climbing out the chimney seemed like a far fetch, especially because the fire was definitely not normal fire.

I ran my hands down the door. It was cold, unlike everything else in the room. Even though the door looked wood, it was probably made of Celestial Bronze or something of the sort.

Rachel was busying herself by flipping through a bunch of books that were stacked neatly on one corner. "Annabeth, you might want to see this." (A/N: "The 'you gotta come see this' cliche"-CinemaSins.)

"What's up, Rachel?" I asked, walking over. She was holding a white-leather covered journal. She was on a page titled "Catoblepas." Catoblepas, catoblepas. Where have I heard it before?

Rachel began reading aloud. "A Catoblepas is a legendary creature with the body similar to that of a cape buffalo, with a down-pointing head due to the weight of its horns. Said to kill with a single gaze or breath, like the Medusa. Unfortunately a herbivore, but that can be changed." She looked up in fear. "And look what he wrote right here-"

As if right on cue, something clicked. A doorknob slowly twisted and the door began to open. My hand moved towards my waist, only to realize my dagger was gone. Rachel tensed up, and I didn't even get the time to close the door before the figure walked in, spinning his sword casually.

Green eyes found grey.

The book dropped to the floor.


*GASP! PLOT TWIST?! Seriously, codyericlee, you're a bad person!