Annabeth
It was pride that changed angels into devils. Annabeth drew her legs to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. Pride is taking less than you need. She rested her chin on top of her knees. Through pride we are ever deceiving ourselves. She closed her eyes to fight the sting of tears. A man's pride can be his downfall. She released a shaky breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.
She really should have known better. The children of Athena were brilliant strategists and could improvise with finesse rivaled only by the children of Ares. They excelled in the academic world and could master almost any subject presented to them. But like all demigods they had a fatal flaw. She'd always known that her pride would be her downfall, but she couldn't have predicted the damage it would have on everyone else. She'd never fathomed that her arrogance would get her friends hurt.
A twig snapped and Annabeth peeked at Piper with wary eyes. She sat across from her, frowning at her in concern. Years ago Annabeth would never have willingly spent any time with a child of Aphrodite. They were pompous airheads that couldn't fight their way out of a wet paper bag with instructions, but Piper was different. She didn't use her beauty as a weapon and genuinely tried to be friends with anyone. She more than proved herself in the war against Gaea and Annabeth would be lying if she said that Piper hadn't been a comfort in the aftermath. She and Hazel had become her closest friends, and while great, it only made this all the more terrifying.
"Annabeth, that wasn't your fault. You can't seriously think that can you?" Piper whispered. She sounded so sweet and sincere that for a moment Annabeth almost believed it. Almost. Piper was her best friend and confidant, but she didn't know everything. She wouldn't understand that Annabeth was no longer in control of herself. She was a puppet, a weapon that couldn't fight back.
"It was my fault. The thing that attacked Percy came in through me. It used me as a way in." Annabeth looked away from her then, the crushing weight settling on her shoulders.
The first time had been the worst. Annabeth waded into the pool until the water was half way up her calves. It felt cool and refreshing against her skin. Minnows and other small marine life brushed against her feet. A crisp summer wind ruffled the trees and played with her hair. It felt nice. It felt different. She closed her eyes and stepped deeper into the water until it was up to her waist. She took a deep, calming breath and slowly began to clear her mind of everything. No more Percy, no more Gaea, no more prophecies. Relax.
She repeated the mantra over and over as she stepped further into the water. It took every ounce of self control and concentration not to panic when it closed over her head. The water had never scared her before; she'd always felt safe and secure whenever she stepped into its depths. After a minute, Annabeth slowly opened her eyes. Sun rays filtered in through the water, causing it to glitter subtly. Fish swam around her lazily, but apart from that there wasn't anything particularly interesting. Good, she thought.
She started small languid breaststrokes, not really intent on swimming, just moving to move. Her muscles groaned in protest, but she ignored it. The twinges of pain reminded her that she was alive. The sting of the water on her healing wounds reminded her that she was a survivor. Her burning lungs reminded her that every breath she took was a gift. It wasn't masochistic; it was just the way things were.
She allowed herself to pop up for a quick breath before ducking back down again. She couldn't help but think of Percy while in his natural element. She reluctantly remembered the feel of his strong arms wrapped around her middle, the feel of his warm lips against hers, the weightless feeling in her heart when they cuddled. In the past thinking of those things served to make her smile like an idiotic school girl, but now it only brought crushing depression. The Percy she had come to care for dearly was not the same anymore. Things had changed after the war, they both knew it whether they accepted it or not.
Annabeth had seen Percy do things inside Tartarus that scared her more than she was willing to admit, but it was her own thoughts that frightened her the most. She'd felt the bloodlust and satisfaction with every monster she struck down. She was proud of her skills, but her mind was always calculating how she could improve her technique and make the kill all the more efficient. Sometimes she felt a twisted smile curl on her lips when they whimpered and begged. Most terrifying of all was during the final battle. She'd watched, just as everyone else had, as Nico DiAngelo fell at the hands of Polybotes. Unlike everyone else, however, she did not feel panic at the sight of his blood or even anger. For a brief moment she felt undiluted delight at the sight of him dying, at Percy's rage. She wanted Percy to feel the pain of losing someone he loved, and she knew that Nico was the one that would hurt him the most.
She gasped and found herself scrambling for the surface. Head broke through the water and she half ran half swam for the shore. She could feel tears cascading down her cheeks and her breaths felt like knives being plunged into her chest. It didn't matter how much time had passed since then; she could never forgive herself for such an evil thought. She was not the same girl anymore, Tartarus had changed her.
Annabeth curled into the fetal position and let the sobs wrack her body. You're so pathetic Annabeth Chase, her inner voice sneered. You enjoyed watching him suffer because you were jealous. It was true. A blind man could see that the connection between Nico and Percy was stronger than Annabeth had originally thought, and she was petty enough to admit jealousy. You're weak. You can't even admit that if the opportunity arose to eliminate him you wouldn't take it. Pathetic. She felt the misery flush over her in waves and suddenly everything went black.
The darkness was deeper than anything she'd ever imagined before. Time and spaced ceased to have meaning and she found her mind scattering. Her body was unraveling, her cells dancing further and further apart. She felt an icy stab of fear plunge into her, but even that was short lived. What is happening to me? She scrambled for something, anything tangible, but there was nothing. She was slowly descending into chaos. Chaos….she was literally sinking in Chaos. She opened her mouth to scream but no sound came out. Annabeth closed her eyes in defeat. She watched her life literally pass in front of her eyes and prayed for death to take her swiftly. It was over, this was her fate.
"Reach out to me. Reach, dear child and I will not drop you." whispered a soft, rattling voice. Annabeth blindly reached out against her better judgment, because anything would be better than this. Oh how wrong she was. Her hand grasped tightly onto a bony hand and agony ripped through her body. Every imaginable pain tore her from the inside out. She felt screams tearing at her throat, clawing at her, desperate to escape, but it did not belong to her. Everything she felt was foreign, but potent. Rationally she knew that by letting go she could escape this, but she couldn't find the strength to let go. "You're mine now daughter of Athena. I will make great use of you."
A warm hand touched her shoulder and Annabeth was wrenched from the confines of her mind. Piper was right in front of her now, her eyes wide with worry. She could feel the girl trembling, but she had a determined set to her jaw. "Annabeth I'm going to help you. We need to talk to Chiron immediately."
She jolted back as if Piper had struck her across the face. "I can't go to him. Piper I-I've done terrible things and-"
"You didn't do anything! Something is controlling you and that's not your fault. We need help to stop this thing so it can't get to you again." Piper gripped her elbow and hauled Annabeth to her feet.
The daughter of Athena snatched away from her and backed away. "It goes much deeper than that Piper, so much deeper."
Piper swallowed and took a step towards her. "Then tell me how far down the rabbit hole we're going. I'll follow right behind you."
Annabeth turned from her then. "I can't." Her voice broke, but no tears came out. Piper couldn't know the even darker truth about what was happening to her. She wouldn't understand that Annabeth spent the majority of her days trying not to succumb to the overwhelming sea of anguish trapped within her. She wouldn't understand the voices of the damned that howled for forgiveness, release from their human prison. She wouldn't understand that Annabeth herself was ceasing to exist among the battered souls. She had been a fool to simply think that Achlys would let her go after that first time. She'd become an even greater fool when she thought she could resist her. That was before Allison.
Memories of the girl's life slammed into her so hard she stumbled backward. She felt Piper catch her and shout at her in concern, but she was already too far gone. She blinked, but she was no longer standing in the clearing with Piper.
The house stood at the very end of the block. The paint was chipped and the little of it that was left was covered in black ink from graffiti. The lawn was more than unkempt. The grass was at least waist high; old car and toy parts littered the ground; and trash and beer bottles sat on the porch amongst rotted newspapers and magazines. The chain link fence around the house had gaping holes in some places, and was down altogether in others.
Annabeth found herself pushing past the gate as dread solidified in her stomach. It didn't take long for her to hear the voices. There was a gruff, furious one that easily overtook the meeker, panicked one. She wanted to turn and run away from the scene she'd witnessed too many times, but as always she was drawn to the horror inside.
She pushed open the door just as a glass shattered against the wall beside her head. It couldn't hurt her, but she still flinched and ducked her head. Oh gods please don't make me watch them die again. But just like every other time she stood rooted to the spot, unable to do anything to save the girl. Allison was cowering in a corner, her emerald green eyes wide with fright. Red tinged her dirty blonde hair and dark purple bruises spread along her pale neck and arm. Her father towered over her, his eyes glinting with rage and contempt. His beefy hands were curled into tight fists at his side as he sneered down at her.
"How dare you speak to me that way?! I am your father and you will respect me." he growled. He advanced on the young girl who scurried away as best as she could in the cluttered living room. His sneer widened as he stalked behind her. "I gave you and your mother everything but it was never enough for her. That stupid whore left me and now you're trying to do the same? I won't allow it."
He kicked out with his boot. Allison cried out and grabbed at her stomach, collapsing on the ground. She curled in on herself and gasped for breath. "I-I'm not leaving I promise!"
His eyes darkened and he flipped her over onto her back, forcing her to look up at him. the monster glared down at its defenseless prey and that only enraged him more. "Don't lie to me. Don't you dare fucking lie to me." He reached down and grabbed her by her collar and dragged her to her feet. Allison whimpered, her frightened eyes darting around for something, anything to help her. Of course there was nothing. She cringed away, the smell of alcohol strong on his breath.
"I-I promise daddy, I won't leave you. I won't I promise." A tear rolled down her cheek and she couldn't help the tremors that ran through her body. "I'll do anything to prove it. Please daddy let me prove it to you."
The man considered her with cruel, calculating eyes before dropping her and turning away. Annabeth wanted to run to Allison's side and force her to flee, force her to get out of that house, but there was nothing she could do. Allison had already died. This was just the last memory she had, the last thing she took to Hell with her. Please Allison, please be strong enough to fight back. She knew her plea would go unanswered, just as it always did.
Her father returned and handed her a tiny silver pistol. She gripped it with trembling fingers, turning it over and over in her hands. She finally looked up at him. "W-what is this?"
He crossed his arms over his chest and glared down at her with black eyes, eyes of a demon. "Prove to me that you will do anything to stay. Take care of the both of them."
Allison recoiled as if slapped. The color had drained from her face. "D-daddy no! I can't do this!"
This time did slap her. Her head rebounded off the wooden floor and she shrieked in pain. He pressed his shoe over her throat, putting just enough pressure to cause her face to turn blue. Her blunt nails clawed vainly at his ankles and the floor. He didn't seem to care. "Do it or this will be the last breath you ever take in this house."
Annabeth closed her eyes and tried to ignore the squeaked "okay" followed by the sound of someone stumbling up the stairs. An eerie silence settled over the house, enough so that for a moment every individual heartbeat could be heard. And then, like cannon fire, a gunshot rang through the house. Annabeth didn't even have time to cry out as another soon followed. She choked on her sobs and followed the horrible monster that had caused all of this.
The rest of the house was in shambles, but not this room. The walls were painted a dazzling pearl white and decorated with scribbled drawings and finger paintings. There were two bookshelves lined with children books and movies on each side of a window overlooking the street below. Adjacent to the bookcase on the right was a bed neatly made and covered in pink, frilly things and stuffed animals. Adjacent to the bookcase on the left was a slightly smaller bed with forest green covers and miniature dinosaurs scattered on top. Toys littered the floor, but it was not messy. It was a child's room, as evident from the barely touched afternoon snacks lying on the play table. It was the room of two innocent children.
Bile rose in Annabeth's throat, but she could not tear her eyes away from the gruesome scene. It wouldn't do her any good anyway. She would never be able to forget the arches and splatter of crimson on the white walls or the darker pools on the wooden floor. She would never be able to forget the sight of two small bodies slumped over their play table, their eyes closed but identical gaping holes in their heads. She would never be able to forget Allison's deranged guilt laden eyes as she fired once at her father's chest and then took her own life. She would never forget.
Annabeth clung to Piper and buried her head in the crook of her neck. Her knees were wobbling and she couldn't seem to find the strength to stand on her own anymore. Piper held her easily. She petted her hair gently, her warm breath fanning over her skin. Annabeth could feel her heart pounding frantically and yet she was trying to calm Annabeth down. She didn't deserve this, any of this.
She sniffled and reluctantly pulled away. "Piper I- I have to get out of camp. I need to get away from here." She clenched her fists determinedly. I may not be able to make up for what I've done, but I won't let Achlys get another one of my friends. "It's the only way I can keep you safe."
Piper shook her head. "Annabeth I'm not letting you go. We're your friends; we can help you."
Annabeth shook her head. "The only way to stop this is to destroy the goddess controlling me. I know exactly where the boys went. I know they're going after her. She knows it too. I'm afraid that if I stay she'll force me to hurt one of you as a distraction." Or to add your soul to her collection.
Piper seemed ready to force her to stay, but Annabeth knew that there was little time left to argue. "I'm sorry Piper." She struck faster than the daughter of Aphrodite thought possible, hitting her square in her chest. Piper dropped to the ground as the air knocked out of her. Acting quickly, Annabeth grabbed her wrists tightly and bound them together behind a small tree. Piper struggled against her bindings, her eyes holding Annabeth's gaze.
"Annabeth please don't do this. We can help you. It's okay to depend on your friends. That's what we're here for."
And although her words were true, Annabeth could only shake her head. She turned and fled into the trees. She heard Piper calling out to her, but she couldn't turn back. She'd been a fool in the past, but not anymore. This was her one chance to make things right. She just had to get to Tartarus before Percy.
Piper
"Annabeth come back!" she hollered, although by that time the girl was obviously gone. She struggled against her bindings, her eyes burning with tears. The terror inside of Annabeth's eyes was enough for Piper to believe in such a thing as a devil or demons. She'd never seen the girl so broken and vulnerable, so in need of help. I shouldn't have let her go. The ropes were digging into her wrists, the knot too tight for her to wriggle out of. Her Katoptris was tucked into her belt loop, completely out of reach. She wasn't going anywhere.
She grunted in frustration and kicked at the ground angrily. There was absolutely nothing she could but wait until someone happened by to untie her, to rescue her. The word left a sour taste in her mouth. How many more times is someone supposed to come and save me? Why am I always the one needing saving? Why can't I be the hero for once?
She pulled at her bindings half heartedly before leaning back against the tree in defeat. Piper swallowed and leaned her head against the tree trunk. She couldn't help but think of her father, Tristan McLean. He always portrayed the suave, confident, strong, capable hero alongside some dumb bimbo with a pretty face. He had always been her hero, but had taught her independence. He'd kiss her bruises when she fell, but immediately after he'd press her to walk it off and move on. It wasn't harsh; it was necessary. He wanted a strong and capable daughter, one that could grow up to fight her own battles, not the girl sitting pathetically tied to tree.
Piper hung her head and closed her eyes. Her father would be so disappointed in her now. I'm so tired of being useless. Besides her charmspeak, there wasn't much she could do. Her sword fighting skills were laughable and mediocre. The best strategists were Annabeth and Jason. Leo could turn a scrap heap into a weapon of mass destruction in a matter of days. Hazel and Nico could manipulate the mist, raise and (to some degree) control the dead, shadow travel them across the world, kick ass when upset, and (apparently) communicate with one another telepathically. Frank could shift into any creature of his choosing and use their attributes. Percy was a natural born leader and wicked with Riptide or any blade in his hand. Compared to everyone else she was pathetic dead weight.
But out of everyone, you're the one Annabeth came running to for strength and support, her mind supplied helpfully. She allowed herself to be vulnerable around you. She trusted you to be strong enough when she couldn't.
"Yeah and that helped things." she whispered bitterly. She didn't understand the point of her even being a freaking demigod if she could do nothing to save her friends. The children of Aphrodite were not meant to be fighters. Right now Annabeth was in desperate need of help and she was tied to a freaking tree. "I'm tired of being useless."
To her left a branch snapped and Piper's head snapped up. Her eyes scanned the trees around her for the source of the sound, but there was nothing. She'd heard rumors from the Hermes cabin that some low level monsters roamed the woods, but she'd never actually seen any. Not that it mattered if they were low level or not. An unarmed and defenseless demigod would be easy pickings for anything.
She tugged at the ropes again frantically when she heard footsteps getting closer. Whoever had taught the daughter of Athena to tie knots knew what they were doing. Piper winced when she felt something warm and sticky slide down her fingers. She really didn't want me to follow her. She really thinks I'm in danger. Gritting her teeth, Piper pulled harder. She bit back a pained scream as the rope dug deeper into her wrists. I promised you I'd save you and that's what I intend to do.
Suddenly Leo came crashing through the trees, his cheeks flushed and twigs sticking in his hair. He took a minute to collect his breath before rushing to Piper's side. He sawed at the roped until they fell away. Piper had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from gasping when the blood pulsed back into her hand. She rubbed at her wrists which were raw and bleeding slightly.
"Thanks Leo," she whispered quietly. "How did you find me out here? We aren't close to camp."
Leo blinked at her for a second and Piper took a step towards him. She noticed for the first time that he wasn't cracking any kind of smile or joke. His eyes were blackened with misery. "Leo what happened?"
He swallowed and ducked his head. His hands were trembling by his sides. "Jason and the others are in big trouble, more than we thought."
Piper crossed her arms over her chest, a chill racing up her spine. "What are you talking about?"
Leo met her eyes reluctantly. "Hecate was speaking with Chiron and Apollo at the Big House. Apparently the three of them are going into Tartarus to fight some ancient goddess, but there's a catch. Nico has to sacrifice himself in order for them to do it."
Piper nearly jumped out of her skin. "Are you serious? That witch can't possibly think that Percy or Jason would let Nico die does she?"
"That's not all. Rachel is just as big a part in this as everyone else. She has to attack from the other side, a place no mortal has ever gone."
"So what does that mean? What does she have to do?" Piper felt more confused by the minute. Why was Hecate even involved in any of this? She hated demigods according to Hazel.
"She has to find the person the goddess is controlling and essentially kill her." He ran a hand through his hair roughly. "Right now Rachel's in some kind of freaky Oracle coma, so she can't help them. If she can't wake up the guys are screwed."
Piper felt a freight train slam into her chests. Leo noticed and reached out to grab her wrists to steady her. "Pipes what's wrong?"
She tried to swallow, but her throat was too dry. It goes deeper than that Piper, so much deeper. She looked at Leo with wide eyes. "It's Annabeth. She has to kill Annabeth."
Author's notes: Okay, so this chapter was harder for me to write than the others simply because of content matter, but I hope it was worth it. Leave comments and tell me what you think! Next chapter we finally get back to the action!