ASDFGHJKL WE PASSED 2000! AHHHHHHHHHH! Your author is dying of excitement over here! Do you know how long it took to go from 1000 to 2000? 4 EFFING CHAPTERS. I'M NOT EVEN KIDDING. Guys, this is amazing. I really couldn't have done it without you guys. Like, legit, I couldn't. Sure, I could write myself 2000 reviews, but what fun would that be? You guys are absolutely amazing, loyal readers and I can't believe you guys even continue to read this story. Truly, I don't even know how you START this story, because I went back and read the first few chapters and was like, EW THIS IS DISGUSTING, and had to skip to chapter 16.
And... as for the long update time... *cringes* please don't hurt me... I know this is the longest time I've ever taken to update, but life has caught up to me! And I could give you this long, boring excuse of why I didn't update, but I know you guys would seriously hate me so I'll leave it at this: I WAS BUSY... (translation: I WAS LAZY) but I would like you to know that I've had the chapter ready since Thursday but haven't had the internet to post it.
Personally, I think this is the best chapter yet, style wise. I feel like it flows and the description is really detailed, so I'm happy! You guys know me, I usually hate what I write! And hopefully if I'm happy, you're happy!
Also in your wonderful review count, I had a few people politely tell me they believed Annabeth and Percy's ability was going a little fast. Well, at the end of the last chapter I got the day count wrong so they've been together for much more than two days :) But, I did make their relationship go a little quickly because, well, my characters are a little different than Rick Riordan's. As much as I love him, I think my interpretation of his characters are a little more mature than his just because of the more complicated and serious plot. This, of course, is MY opinion, and if you believe differently, I respect that. But I truly did try to make it that way just because of who I've molded them into :)
Also, because of the long update, I would highly recommend going back and reading the last one or two chapters so you can remember what has happened! Because if I have no idea what has previously happened in my story, I know YOU don't! Enjoy!
(PS I also recommend reading this chapter really slow and taking in all the details because some of it is important!)
Darkness.
Panic.
Danger.
My lungs burned as my feet raced across the floor. I was running into a pitch black abyss, darkness the only element the eye could see. I was running, running from something, running to something; I couldn't tell. Fear clogged my throat like cotton balls, but the fear was not directed to me. I was terrified for someone else. Multiple screams echoed in the distance, both masculine and feminine, but other than that, no other sound was heard but my feet hitting the floor and my pounding heartbeat. Yes, I was being chased, but by a silent killer.
A mixture of adrenaline and pure fear pumped through my veins. I had to keep going; I had to get there, wherever 'there' was. The cold, icy screams pierced the darkness louder and louder as I ran faster, my legs propelling me forward. I had to help them, whoever was screaming. I knew them; I cared about them. I needed to help them. I had promised.
I could sense my pursuer creeping up on me. Even though I could not see them, hear them, I knew they were there. The cold sweat forming on my neck, the cool air touching my skin, I could sense them. They were there. They were there to stop me.
I pulled the last energy I had left in me and pushed myself to sprint faster. The screams were louder, the darkness darker; I was getting close.
Sweat ran down my face like violent tears. The only thing keeping me running was pure adrenaline, my body's last resort. I was so close, so close.
All of the sudden, I stopped dead in my tracks.
A cold emptiness washed over me, sending goosebumps up my arms. Panic and fear welled up inside of me, my throat completely unable to produce a single sound. I could not move any part of my body, my feet, my hands... nothing. I was paralyzed.
Cold, icy fingers wrapped around my exposed neck.
"You've failed, Percy Jackson," came a chilling whisper in my ear, "You've failed."
I woke to a start, my seemingly burning lungs sucking in a surprising amount of air. My hair was damp with sweat and my heart raced. Panic and fear clouded my senses and the vivid images of the dream flashed in the back of my eyes. I brought a hand to my chest, feeling the heavy beat of my heart, just to make sure it was still working. I felt like I was going to be sick; I was scared, shocked. It had all seemed so dangerous, so real. I closed my eyes and swallowed, willing the images out of my mind.
A small hand touched my shoulder.
"Percy?"
I opened my eyes and turned to face Annabeth. She sat with her back to the headboard, looking at me with a concerned look on her face.
"Are you okay?" Annabeth asked, a worried edge in her voice.
I nodded.
"Just a nightmare."
She gave me a sad, understanding look.
I peered past Annabeth and looked around the room. My surroundings were comforting and organized, just as I had remembered it. Unlike my bloodcurdling nightmare, I could see the sun beginning to rise above the horizon out the window, giving the room a small glow. I knew exactly where I was: Annabeth's cabin.
I looked over at Annabeth again. She was smoothly and gracefully pulling her long curls into a ponytail. At first glance she seemed fully awake and focused, but her normally lively gray eyes seemed slightly dazed and clouded over, like she was shocked herself.
"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked, glancing over at me once more.
I looked closely at Annabeth's face. Extremely light circles had formed under her eyes and her eyelids looked slightly heavy, as if she had first waken up. Her rowdy curls seemed more disheveled than usual; pieces fell from her ponytail into her face and looked lightly tousled. She looked pale and worried, as if she had been up contemplating something important long before my waking.
"Annabeth?" I asked slowly, putting one and two together in my head, "You didn't have nightmares, did you?
Annabeth's eyes flickered to my face.
"I asked you about your nightmare," she demanded, her voice with a slight defensive edge to it.
I narrowed my eyes as they met hers, a protective wave washing over me, the shock of my nightmare long gone.
"Annabeth, " I warned, "I'm serious. Did you have a nightmare?"
Annabeth held my gaze with just as much determination as I did. Our eyes narrowed, a silent competition forming between the two of us, one I was determined to win. Her muscles clenched and her gray eyes took a dangerous look to them. I felt my jaw set. Annabeth was going to talk, I was going to be sure of it.
"Annabeth," I said sternly, "Hiding this isn't going to fix anything."
She continued to hold my gaze.
Slowly but surely I noticed her muscles unclenching, realizing I was correct. She bit her lip while contemplating on whether or not it was worth continuing starting a full-fledged argument. She finally gave a dramatic sigh of defeat, her glare softening to more of an annoyed glance. I couldn't help but notice how cute she was when she bit the inside of her cheek, trying to hold her pride. She was as bad as I was.
"You didn't have nightmares, did you, Annabeth?" I asked, my tone slightly softer this time.
She shook her head silently.
"It's the second time, Percy," she pointed out, dropping her head in her hands in frustration, "It's whenever I'm with you. I don't know how, I don't know why, but whenever I'm with you I never get nightmares," she closed her eyes," and I'm not exactly sure if that's a good thing or a creepy thing."
I gave a smile and put my arm around her shoulders, pulling her towards me.
"As long as you're okay," I whispered.
She rested her head on my shoulder and gave a small sigh,"What about your nightmare, Percy? What happened?"
I shook my head, "It doesn't matter, " I stated.
Out of nowhere, Annabeth shoved me as hard as she could. The sudden impact caused my head to hit the hard, wooden headboard. A stinging pain shot up my body to my brain, pulsing through my head.
"What was that for?!" I exclaimed, looking over at her, taken aback at her sudden, rough reaction.
"I tell you, you tell me!" she argued, face flushed with annoyance.
"That hurt!" I complained. Sharp pain throbbed through my brain.
Annabeth raised her eyebrow and rolled her eyes in pure exasperation. She was clearly unimpressed. Reaching up and moving my hands out of the way, she moved onto her knees and planted a small kiss on my head were it was hit. Her lips were warm and soft, her touch delicate. It was a small, sweet gesture that put a smile on my face.
"Feel better?" she asked, rolling her eyes and returning to her original position next to me.
I gave her a big grin, "Ye-"
CRACK!
Annabeth and I both jumped, my heart leaping out of my chest. Our heads swiveled to the window at the sound of the lightning.
The world outside of the cabin was truly bloodcurdling.
The sky was dark, contrary to the sun-rising view just a few minutes ago, due to the raging storm clouds. It was like a swirl of savage gray, and just looking at it made me want to cower under my bed. Another white, electrifying bolt sliced the sky in two and lit everything in sight. Instantly the rumbling of thunder pierced the misleading night, shaking the entire cabin as it rolled across the ground like a tidal wave.
I felt Annabeth grab my bicep for support.
"Where did that come from?" she breathed, the air flying from her lungs.
I shook my head; I was at lost for words.
Another bolt penetrated the sky. The ear-splitting crack waved through the night, rattling the cabin once more. I felt Annabeth's grip on my arm tighten.
"This isn't right," she whispered, her words barely audible over the fury of the storm.
Back at home we had had our fare share of storms. There was rain storms, hurricanes, floods, and plenty of lightning. From my small room in the back of the apartment, the smallest bit of lightning seemed to light up and shake the entire space. The dark, perilous clouds had grown to be something ordinary for me; I was never afraid.
But this, this was different. Dark electricity simmered through air, sending chills up my spine. The charcoal clouds spit powerful, deadly bolts of white-hot fury without a single moment's notice. And it was close, so close. Barely even a second could pass after a bolt before the deep, chilling rumble of thunder pierced the night.
The whistle of heavy winds ripped at the cabin from the outside, but not a single drop of rain fell from the sky. It looked, smelled, felt like it should have rained, but not a single drop fell from the horrendous clouds. It was as though the liquid had been sucked from the clouds all together and the clouds were attempting to fight back with brute force.
I felt small, strong arms wrap around my torso. I returned the embrace, shielding Annabeth from the ruthless war taking place in the heavens. She didn't need the protection, but I needed to give it. It made me feel stronger.
Traces of my nightmare flashed in the back of my mind as I watched the storm take it's toll. The dark clouds brought the same rush of danger and fear through me as my dream did. I had never explained the horror to Annabeth, and truly I didn't want to. Something about it rattled me, hit me in a soft spot. I couldn't stop the feeling of being paralyzed by an unknown source, icy fingers reaching around my neck. I wanted the memory out of my head, fast.
A bright flash of lightning brought me back from the inner harbour of my thoughts. Realization ran thought the back of my brain, a question slipping out of my mouth.
"This isn't normal for Goode is it, Annabeth?"
An immediate, slow shake of her head in my chest was all the answer I needed. Both of our arms tightened around each other, both fearing a chilling sense of foreboding that this may just be the beginning of something much bigger than any of us.
"Did you see that storm this morning?"
"Oh my gosh it was so scary!"
"I hid under my bed the entire time!"
Whispers and small talk of the giant storm that had raged through Goode echoed through the halls that afternoon. School that morning had been cancelled due to safety precautions; no one in their right mind would have stepped out in that storm, no matter how good their reason was.
After the two full hours of fury was over, the entire campus was trashed. Trees were completely missing, stump and all, and the elegant garden for the science building looked like it had been brutalized and slashed at for days on end. Metal trash cans had been blown to the complete opposite side of the school, and I swear I even noticed a lone tree that had been burnt to a crisp, most likely by lightning.
The last of the leaves had been blown off the trees and littered the ground everywhere. People stood dumbfounded as they looked at the wreckage. Complete patches of grass had been swept away, along with their roots. As I walked from my cabin, I even saw multiple craters in the soil, undoubtedly caused by the power of a lightning bolt.
But surprisingly enough, out of all the wreckage, not a single building was harmed.
Not one tree had fallen on a cabin through the roof; not one window in the entire school had been blown through. The structures were completely untouched by the storm. When I had first stepped foot out of my cabin, this oddity was the first thing I noticed. It was strange to look at the trashed campus and see every building in perfect condition.
But then, of course, everything about Goode struck me odd these days.
I lightly opened the Combat door, peering inside. No one else was in the room; I was the first one there for class. I unthinkingly stepped inside and shut the door behind me, turning around and taking in my surroundings.
The room was extremely dark; the lights had not been turned on yet. Barely any light came through the giant wall of windows that usually illuminated the room, thanks to the almost-stormy clouds that blanketed the sky. The air in the room was musty and thick. Each breath felt harder and harder to take, as if something were crushing my chest. There was that feeling again, that feeling I kept getting at Goode. Something was wrong; something was off. I instinctively felt for Riptide in my back pocket. An alarm was blaring in the back of my head, telling me something wasn't right.
A shadow flashed in my peripheral vision. I instinctively swung around, my fingers clasping Riptide. Nothing. Nothing was there on the wall but the weapon's chest. A small bead of sweat ran down my face as I turned around again, looking out the wall of windows. I was antsy, jumpy, afraid; something was still off.
I looked around the room again. I was completely alone.
Another shadow caught the corner of my eye. I spun around again, my breath catching in my throat. I stared at the weapon's wall; there was nothing. Again. I clutched Riptide with my clammy fingers; it was the only protection I had. My heart sped up to the point I could hear it myself: ba-bum, ba-bum, ba-bum...
I could see my own shadow on the floor, coming from the only light of the windows. It was faint and gloomy, but I could still make it out. I stood ready, with my knees bent, to take on whatever was here in the room with me.I stared at my shadow, the fact I could see myself giving me a tiny relish of comfort. My heart still beat, and my breathing still quickened, but I knew I was still there.
Then another shadow added to mine.
My eyes widened as far as they could go. A cold emptiness washed over me, sending goosebumps up my arms. Panic and fear welled up inside of me, my throat completely unable to produce a single sound. I could not move any part of my body, my feet, my hands... nothing. I was paralyzed.
Exactly how I was in my nightmare.
I felt the same cold, icy fingers wrap around my neck. My heart sped up, but there was nothing I could do. It was exactly like the dream, exactly like the dream.
"Percy!"
I swung around again and the light switched on, illuminating the room, blinding me for a moment. Annabeth stood in the doorway, Connor and Travis behind her, staring at me as if I was absolutely crazy. I most likely looked absolutely crazy with Riptide pulled out and a terrified look on my face.
"What are you doing?!" she exclaimed, taking a once-over of the room.
I stared at her, words unable to leave my mouth. What- what had just happened? The shadows, the paralyzation, the icy fingers... It was exactly like the dream, except for the running. I turned around, taking in the room, wide-eyed. Just a moment ago there had been someone there. I knew it. I saw their shadow; I felt them suffocate me. My stomach twisted itself into a knot. This was wrong- all wrong.
"Percy," Annabeth called again, walking into the room, "Are you okay?"
No. I wasn't okay. An invisible force, the same from my nightmare, had just tried to suffocate me and disappeared in an instant. Had it been my imagination? It had felt so real, so terrifying. Could my dream have haunted me so much that I convinced myself it was happening for real?
I nodded.
"I'm fine," I replied, my voice sounding much more confident than I felt.
Annabeth stared at me for a moment, exactly how I had stared at her when I saw straight through her lie this morning. We had grown to know each other too well; there was nothing we could hide. She gave me that look of We'll talk about it later and looked away as Thalia and Grover walked in the room.
I took one deep breath and sat down next to Travis on the floor. He instantly smiled and clamped me on the back.
"The great Percy Jackson!" he exclaimed, "Afraid of his own shadow! Who would have known?"
I gave a half-hearted laugh. He had no idea.
"Just a little rattled from the storm, " I assured him.
Connor elbowed Travis in the ribs, "Rattled from the storm, eh?" he said, winking and glancing over at Annabeth.
I rolled my eyes. Immature as always.
"Good morning, class!" came a deep voice from my left.
Chiron walked to the center of the room, the hard, wooden door closing heavily behind him. He looked exactly the same since I last saw him: big, muscular, sandy-haired. But in some way, he was slightly different. He looked older and more worn out than usual. It seemed as though his energy had been completely drained, both emotionally and physically. But, as he addressed the class, he still held his head high and his shoulders firm.
"I believe," he began, "that it is necessary that in times like these, to steer away from the ordinary physical combat that I have been addressed to teach, and focus on exactly what sent you hear to Goode, what will more likely help you in combat than anything I could teach you, " he looked around the room, from student to student," Your abilities."
The room was completely silent. I stole a glance over at Annabeth; her face was masked and emotionless; her ability still a confusing, sensitive topic.
"Your abilities make you different from the outside community, "Chiron continued, " They can either give you an advantage or a disadvantage, " he glanced at Annabeth, "Sometimes it can be helped, and others it cannot. As we practice and age, we learn to control our abilities at their full potential. But sometimes that necessary skill is called on us far before we are ready," he met my gaze ," now is the time to ready yourself in case that is to happen to you. Now, in Combat, we will master and exercise our abilities for as long as I believe it is necessary."
Yes, it was short, but I believe it was a good place to stop. It was already hitting 7 pages and my usual is 9, and if I would have kept going on everyone's abilities and how they work and all that, it would have probably been a 20 page chapter!
But, anyway, exciting isn't it? The nightmare... the storm... the combat room... What is going on? I assure you, we are leading up to the goode part... And I also believe this story is going to be WAYYYYYY longer than I originally thought, so brace yourselves, I wouldn't be surprised if the chapters went into the 40s, maybe 50s at most. It's going to be a long one. You've got a ways to go!
I really hope this chapter was suspenseful enough for you all. As you guys know, I always read back through the entire chapter after I finish it. Well, just because I'm blonde, I really got into this chapter. And to tell you the truth, I almost peed in my pants. It was kinda scary! My grandma had to remind me to breathe during the storm part, and I completely forgot what was going to happen during the Combat room scene, so I was sitting there saying to myself, "OMG WHAT IS IT OMG WHAT IS IT'S THE SAME FROM THE NIGHTMARE OMG PERCY PLEASE DON'T GET EATEN!" And then the sane side of me was like, "YOU IDIOT YOU WROTE THE FREAKING CHAPTER!" And then the blonde side of me was like, "Ohhhhhhhhhh yeahhhhhhhhh,"
That's my story for the chapter. I hope you liked it.
So, SCHOOL IS OUT! HORRAY! I should be able to post more chapters more frequently (I say that every time but it really never happens) so keep looking for me!
Another thing, I have some writing junk for you this chapter! (lol my extremely immature side just realized how wrong that sounds) But, If you don't know what that is, or didn't get it last chapter, just ask and I can give you a summary and the last one! I really like it this time, so ASK FOR IT or I'll coat your front door with Nutella...
In the middle of the chapter, if you read slow enough, you may have experienced some slight word deja vu! If you realize where that came from, be sure to tell me! I'll give you a sneak preview of the next chapter when I get it written out!
I feel like my author's notes are getting longer and longer...
REVIEW MY LOVELIES! REVIEW LIKE YOU'VE NEVER REVIEWED BEFORE!