Freedom

~.~.~.~

Part III: Chapter V

Call Your Name

For years there was always the idea in one's mind that when a moment of great earth defining potential can alter the world around you, how it can slow you down, cause you to do nothing but to bear witness to the world around you fading into existence, leaving only you and your singular challenge ahead of you.

Percy had recalled many moments where he was caught in the still silence both with just himself in the moment and with Annabeth in it. There was only one true instance that Percy and Annabeth had been at odds and that was before she ever became anything important to him, during that capture the flag game when he barely knew who he was, or what he was destined to become.

But as he rushed forward, and she rushed him, the world was slow, the moment itself was more tense and dramatic than anything that could be portrayed in the action battle scenes in movies. This was real life, living in a real moment where Percy would have to make a very hard choice... and that was if he had the strength to become what he least wanted to be in order to do what needed to be done.

He did not want to become the person in his memories that he was afraid of being.

A monster...

The sound of celestial bronze clashing echoed across the battlefield, and it left ripples running up Percy's arm at the sheer force of their strength of their strikes made Percy grind his teeth together painfully. Annabeth had always been strong but never like this before. He swore on his father's name he had never once seen swords cause sparks when they struck, but each time Percy blocked a strike of the possessed Annabeth, sparks flew and singed the hairs on his arms.

This was more than a fight, it was a one sided death match.

One of them was going to stand tall whilst the other's eyes lost their light.

Percy leapt back as Annabeth spun in a deadly arch, striking from above with such force it knocked Percy off of his stable center of gravity, the action alone caused him to lose his footing, even if it was barely a second. He was narrowly able to block her second underarm strike as the ground pulsed beneath his feet as the painful tug in his gut pulled taunt and tight as a blood vessel burst beneath Annabeth's feet, forcing her to leap back in a defensive position, separating them for a moment before Percy was able to shout, "Annabeth stop this! I know you're in there!"

Percy was defiant even when the face of the girl he loved contorted into mildly sick and filled with humor as 'Annabeth' laughed at Percy's shout. "Try all you want but the daughter of Apollo is dead! She is mine!" The rippling and distorted voice said with glee as it moved the sword and rested it against Annabeth's neck as Percy looked on in horror.

"STOP!" He shouted in a moment of weakness, his focused off the fight.

"Poor pathetic son of Poseidon so concerned about what I could do this body even though the daughter of Athena is dead and gone and never coming back." The voice said in amusement as a thin trail of blood rolled down Annabeth's neck from the small nick as 'Annabeth' tilted her head at Percy. "I always admired Poseidon's offspring but you and your loyalty to this... thing is amusing and intriguing... it makes you weak." She said as she rushed and swung a strong strike as Percy blocked another strike. "You know what you have to do and yet... you can't and you are going to die for it!" the distorted voice spoke, eyes glowing as she wrenched her free hand back and punched Percy in his face.

Percy's nose instantly started bleeding again after it had only just stopped after behind hit back by Polybotes. But the blood ran down instantly once more from the sheer force of the hit, his vision blurred as he backed away. He was able to block her strike before being caught off guard by a knee to the gut. He choked on his own groan, his voice hoarse as he tried to catch his breath.

Percy was knocked on his back after another vicious kick and taunting laugh as he weakly climbed to his feet. "So pathetic, still trying to fight and believe she is alive when she is dead. How sad and pitiful." It sneered as it swung it's sword and slashed at Percy's chest, successfully cutting him across the chest before kicking him to the ground and this time Percy stayed down, wheezing and coughing.

Percy was almost certain he had a few broken ribs, honest to the gods every where hurt, nothing hurt more than his heart as 'Annabeth' stood with her foot his chest, the sharp tip of her sword resting against his throat as she tsked and smirked in amusement.

"So much for the legendary Percy Jackson." It said with a chuckle. "Today the blood spilled with remain pouring. After all it was your fault any of this happened." She said with humor in her tone as Percy looked up at her.

Spots danced in Percy's vision, his body ached and screamed at the pain his was feeling.

He wondered to himself, questioned himself. When had he ever been one to take anything lying down in the oceans of defeat. His resolve had always been strong but today, in this moment, he just... he could not find it in him to fight her... even if it was not her. But hearing this being possessing Annabeth's body tell him it was his fault this happened, it made him realize just how true the statement was.

His stupid blood nose is what had caused seven years of pain for his friends, for his family, for the world.

It really is because of me that we ended up here, he thought to himself as he wheezed but still shoved her leg off of him and climb to his knees and stare up at her. Why was he still getting up, why was he still staring defiantly up at her? Because if he was going to die, he would at least be defiant in accepting his fate.

The eidolon sneered and glared, "You are ever the fighter... but you will bow down to my sword." She said as she raised it once more to strike Percy down but time froze the moment a yell was let out.

"TELL HIM WHAT YOU DID TO ANNABETH!" A voice so full of power and commandment and authority echoed to the spirit possessed Annabeth whose body stilled and froze. Percy turned his head to see Piper stabbing a monster with her dagger, her cornucopia in hand. "TELL HIM WHAT YOU DID TO ANNABETH! I ORDER YOU TO TELL HIM EVERYTHING!" She shouted and Percy heard it, the layers of charm speak in tone, and so did the spirit.

Their voice stilled, no distortion in it, it was strange but Percy froze, "She was always a fighter. She repelled every spirit at first, but that made her torment taste so much sweeter." The spirit spoke with an almost sadistic giggle. "It wasn't until Her Majesty Gaea decided murder you every day in front of her and let her take her life in some way every day before she brought her back." The spirit spoke with a chuckle.

Percy remained frozen... Annabeth... she'd died by her own hand and been brought back to life every time...

They'd tortured Annabeth...

"You know how it feels to live a never ending cycle of death... it broke her mind, drove her insane. Quite a frail form when the mind is gone... Pity though, if only her love for you had not been as strong, she could have lived like Miss McLean had..." The spirit said with a twisted smile, "I claimed this body with no soul... she died inside and there is no bringing her back ever. And now I shall take your life too Percy Jackson because the one that ultimately broke her was me. I killed her and ceased her existence and I will do the same to you."

The eidolon raised the sword and thrust it downward but her body froze but it's sword struck the blade of Anaklusmos, raised above Percy's head to protect him but he made no motion to move or attack. His head was bowed, staring down at the ground as his body trembled.. It's eyes were wide, paralyzed with fear as she listened to the broken heavy breathing as Percy's body shook. Percy's mind was reeling. His focus broken, his heart broken, his soul tortured as images of Annabeth's face crossed his mind. He should die, he deserved to die cause he got her hurt, he killed her but before he could die... he had to make the spirit pay.

His memories flowed, the dream he had of a future with Annabeth of their kids... it was a farce, it would not be real because Annabeth was dead. She was gone. He'd failed. He had failed to save her. "The only one to cease to exist... will be YOU!" Percy let out in a harsh breath as he looked up at the eidolon who stared in shock, eyes filled with fear but unable to react as with a loud and anguished cry, Percy with all his strength and might thrust his sword upward, pressing their blades to her chest and heaved, violently throwing her body backwards harshly into the ground.

She rolled a few time, Percy could hear the eidolon struggling to catch it's breath as the air grew thicker around Percy. When he took a step towards the eidolon, it screamed out, "Kill him!" and almost instantly many monsters surrounding them charged towards Percy.

Percy stood his eyes focused on the ground. He heard the yell of a monster as it charged at him but it screamed as Percy turned round and thrust his hand outward and the monster froze in its step, the veins in his skin rippling. To Piper who was nearest to the scene swore she heard Percy snare as he looked up at the monster he had frozen with a glare so bone chilling Piper almost thought she had developed hypothermia. She almost sympathized with the monster that shrieked and cried out at Percy who with nothing but silence and deadly accuracy swung and cut it down, going towards the next one that was in his path.

Piper watched frozen from the sidelines, realizing that her ultimate goal had been achieved but in the end she had broken Percy... The man who had tormented Arachne before letting her flee was present on this man was out to kill. Piper had been fighting and listening but the one thing she had come to realize is they never said Annabeth's spirit had died, only that she broke. They had never killed her the last time before her body was possessed.

She didn't what she was doing but she ran forward and tackled the paralyzed body of Annabeth back to the ground as the eidolon tried to stand to run away as Percy started getting closer and shouted in the face of the struggling, disarmed eidolon, "Annabeth! Wake up! You need to live! Live you dumb daughter of Athena! FIGHT DAMMIT! WAKE UP! PERCY NEEDS YOU TO SAVE HIM!" She said as she stared into the glowing green eyes with a sense of hopelessness but the smallest fragment of hope. "Fucking wake up and fight Annabeth!" Piper ordered harshly as she glanced behind her and watch as Percy roared in his consumed anguish and but down multiple monsters that ran at him, his focus still on the being beneath Piper.

Piper trembled at the pure fear she felt when she saw the way Percy was looking. No longer was the happy man she knew... he was consumed by his grief and anguish and rage. She remembered when she used her charmspeak to get him to forget the moment he let himself be consumed by his hatred and tormented Arachne. In this moment, Piper had no idea if she had gotten through to Annabeth but she saw the thoughtful look on the face of her friend with the poisonous green glowing eyes and pushed forward.

"WAKE UP ANNABETH! PLEASE WAKE UP! PERCY NEEDS YOU!" She shouted and begged. The eidolon seemed shocked before it slugged Piper right in her face, causing Piper to fall off with a heavy thud. Piper glanced up as the eidolon armed itself in the nick of time as Percy charged and swung at the eidolon with bone chilling strength that almost made Piper think it was going to shatter the eidolon's sword when their blades struck.

Piper felt herself being lifted up, looking to see Jason felt the equally palpable atmosphere as he dragged her back, narrowly avoiding the two fighting beings as they clashed once more, only the tables had turned on who had the upper hand now. Jason cut down another monster and Piper jumped back into the fray of the fight but still watched the scene before her.

The eidolon's strength was almost no match to the rage behind Percy's strikes. He wasn't aiming to maim, he was aiming to kill, even if there were tears running down his face, His anger consumed him but so did his grief and never ending despair and anguish at the lost of Annabeth's spirit. "I'm sorry Annabeth. I'm so sorry Wise Girl." He said after every strike even though he knew Annabeth was gone. He still said sorry to the face that winced with every cut he inflicted when the eidolon narrowly avoided his strikes, still managing to cut his skin but he didn't care.

"Stop apologizing and just die- Seaweed Brain." The eidolon spoke but the words that left it's mouth caused both to freeze.

Percy had no idea how mere words would affect him but those words in that voice he remembered broke his haze as he stared. "A-Annabeth..." He stuttered as he stared at the green eyes that were flickering.

"There is no Annabeth!" The eidolon shouted and swung at Percy which he blocked. "Just shut up!" It shouted but it wasn't even looking at Percy. "Get out of my head!" That voice it didn't sound like the eidolon... it sounded like her...

"Annabeth is that you," He said more firmly as the eidolon hissed and dropped its sword and gripped her head. "Annabeth it's me. I'm alive Wise Girl!" Percy pressed as his heart raced, trying to press. "Wise Girl!" He pushed and grabbed her wrists as the eidolon growled at him.

"There is no Anna- Percy!" The switch almost threw Percy for a loop but when he watched the green flicker and saw the familiar grey pools he loved and recognized, the soft expression on her pale face before the aggressive one reappeared. "There is no Annabeth! Stay dead! This body is mine!" It shouted as it shoved Percy away, wrenching Annabeth's dagger from the place on Percy's waist it had been.

Percy felt that familiar moment where the world stilled, time moved slower. The eidolon was rushing at him with Annabeth's dagger and in that moment Percy knew what he had to do. He heard screaming behind him, felt the powerful aura of light exploding behind him. He could hear the darkness hissing as Percy stared forward at the light behind Annabeth grew as she ran at him.

He felt almost at peace as the dagger pierced his abdomen, as he felt the wind get knocked out of him but he remained standing. When she connected with him, instead of letting her pull back or avoid it, his arms circled around Annabeth's frame, bloody hand cupping the back of her head, the other pressing to the small of her back, "I love you Wise Girl... Don't stop fighting." He whispered as the light around them retreated and he remained holding her as the frame of Annabeth trembled and pulled back away from him and looked up at him with those green pools but tears rolling down her face and the familiar softness that was Annabeth Chase.

"Percy..." She whispered in shock as she stepped back, looking down at her hand that held the hilt of the dagger that was buried into his abdomen before looking up.

Percy leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead as he toyed with the clasp of the necklace around her neck, whispering a soft and longing, "Annabeth..." before the eidolon shoved him to the ground where he lay, struggling to take his next breath.

He could hear Gaea laughing in the background but all he did was stare up at the eidolon who was frozen still.

The words of the prophecy hung on his tongue as in his hand he held Annabeth's torn necklace that he'd pulled off her when she shoved him back, his palm open and the ring he had given her seven years ago when he was certain he was going to die and looked at her as she stared at her hand that held the bloody dagger...

Darkness...

Silence...

Nothingness...

Emptiness...

The still silence encompassed the world around her... her... who was her... who was she... who am I?

Nothing felt good... it didn't hurt...

emptiness hurt... something missing, no sign of life as she existed.

Time had moved so slow, she didn't know who she was, just how good it felt to be painless, not not be alive and in pain.

Silence was lonely but it was better than screaming.

Darkness was better than the light and color cause she did not have to see anyone die...

Peace was- "Annabeth!"

Huh? Is that her name... is that who she is...

"Wake up! You need to live! Live you dumb daughter of Athena!"

But why live... living hurt.

"FIGHT DAMMIT! WAKE UP! PERCY NEEDS YOU TO SAVE HIM!"

Huh? Who... Percy... that name is so familiar…

"Fucking wake up and fight Annabeth!"

Everything hurt, Annabeth, yes that who she was, Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena. Everything hurt as she felt herself waking up, doing what the voice commanded. That familiar voice that was commanding her.

"WAKE UP ANNABETH! PLEASE WAKE UP! PERCY NEEDS YOU!"

Annabeth felt dizzy, but she felt like she was having an out of body experience. She felt herself existing but she wasn't in control, she was not herself.

She heard the shouting, the voices but she could not see. She could not remember.

"I'm sorry Annabeth. I'm so sorry Wise Girl." That voice, Annabeth knew that voice.

"Stop apologizing and just die- Seaweed Brain." She spoke that name, could not see what was going on but she could hear and feel. She felt herself coming alive. She could feel a force pushing against her, telling her to shut up but Annabeth didn't want to. She could hear that voice... the voice that made her heart skip a beat, that made her see sunshine in the darkness for the first time in the nothingness.

Percy was supposed to be dear but she could hear him in the midst of fighting with the voice inside her head that was telling her to bow down. She didn't want to.

DIE DIE DIE!

LIVE LIVE LIVE!

It was a fight of will, of who wanted to live more. Annabeth felt her eyes clearing, felt her soul opening, she could see nothing, but then something no matter how much the being fought her.

I WILL SEE! I WILL LIVE! I AM ALIVE!

THEN HE WILL DIE!

Annabeth was crying out his name as she tried to fight. She felt her body moving, felt her actions she had no control over... and then she felt it.

The warmth of an embrace, the clarity of her own mind opening up as she heard his voice, "I love you Wise Girl... Don't stop fighting."

Annabeth blinked and saw orange, for the first time she didn't see black, but color, she didn't feel the cold, she felt the warmth of arms around her, holding her tenderly like she remembered, that voice... it was real, it was alive. They were both alive. "Percy..." She whispered as she felt herself pulling back but felt something heavy in her hand as the tears of relief, of joy and life rolled down her cheeks and froze at what she was seeing.

She felt his hand on her neck, the soft reverence of his touch, the quiet whispering of her name as his lips pressed to her forehead.

For you to live... he had to die... that dying voice inside her head whispered as Annabeth felt her body move without her permission, pushing Percy to the ground and pulling the dagger out as he lay on the ground, bloody staining the orange shirt he wore beneath the thing armor he had on.

Annabeth felt herself feeling the heavy feeling of having control of her body, the heavy words that echoed in her head as she stared at the dagger in her hand and then at Percy who lay on the ground with her necklace in hand, the ring... the ring he had wanted to give her seven years ago... the scene so familiar... the scream leaving her lips so familiar.

"NO! PERCY NO NO NO!" She cried out as she knelt down neck to him, ignoring the pain of her knees against the harsh ground of Tartarus as her hands cupped his cheeks and tears streaming down her face.

The world around him was distorted, everything was hazy, and he could hear screaming, the tender, slender fingers caressing his cheeks, the grey eyes staring down at him, hands pressed to his side shocking him to stay awake a little longer.

"Don't die on me Percy. Not again." Annabeth pressed, her voice resolute and clear... it was his wise girl, alive and breathing. "Come on Seaweed Brain stay awake please. Piper, please help!" Annabeth pleaded as Piper came by her side.

"Percy stay awake. Don't Die. It's not your time to die yet!" Piper spoke, her voice wavering with charmspeak and even though it was not working, he stayed awake a little longer just so he could see it... see her.

"Wise girl..." He croaked weakly as he looked up at her, his bloody hand reaching up and touching her cheek as tears rolled down them, "Its good to see you again..." He whispered softly as she clutched his hand to her cheek as Piper weakly poured some nectar between his lips, in hopes it would help him heal. He swallowed but choked lightly and coughed, a small trail of blood rolling from the corner of his mouth.

"Please Percy... don't die." She pleaded as she looked at him, "I love you Percy. Don't die again." She pleaded. "You promised..."

Percy gave a sad smile, "I love you Wise Girl."

Annabeth let out a weak sob, "I love you too Percy." She said as she leaned down and pressed a kiss to his lips, and when he didn't kiss back, she let out a cry as she felt his still body beneath her. Her hand placed his hand to his chest, tears leaving her eyes as she heard Piper whispering 'no' repetitively.

Gaea laughed in the distance, shouting gleefully. "After all these years, finally I have been the one to succeed. Percy Jackson is finally dead!" She cheered.

To Be Continued...

KDOH: Hey everyone been a while but yeah got so busy with exams and a lot happened in my personal life that i needed to take time for myself considering writers block smacked me in the face like a bitter witch but suddenly i found some new amines including Attack on Titan that gave me heaps of inspiration for this so yeah...

I wont lie I went back multiple times and edited and added and removed from this. I was legit ready to post this at little over 2.4k words and then the Annabeth scene just appeared on screen before i had any idea what i was writing and then it was almost 4k works ahaha. Any who hope you enjoyed this chapter, sorry it took so long to post this and sorry to leave you with this cliffhanger everyone but don't worry I have already started work on the next chapter. so see ya son... hehehe bai xD