Chapter 12: PJO

The conch horn sounding wakes us from our peace. I open my bleary eyes, only to have the setting sun burn into my eyes.

Somehow, we had fallen asleep by the lake. We got up, but our legs had tangled together and we both fell into the water.

I suddenly had a flashback to being in Tartarus. The water surrounding me, drowning me, suffocating...

The air was thick with the mist and the poisons that Akhlys had thrown.

It was as if I was watching the scene in slow motion.

I had a glint in my eye as I moved the poisons through the air back to her. I could feel Annabeth pulling on my sleeve. Trying to drag me out. I closed my eyes and let go.

Let my eyes close.

Let my power release into the ocean.

Let myself go.

I looked up, a wave crashing. I could see a shadow trying to swim up. I reeled my power in, trying to contain the force trying to escape. I swam up to help her to the surface. I push her above the water and swim back to the depths.

Annabeth breaks the surface and I can see her asking if I'm going to play capture the flag. I shrug, undecided. If I play, I would be at my regular station in the creek.

The depths were a comfort after the flashback. Looking around, I see the fish and the occasional piece of seaweed floating around.

I want to sleep.

I want to sleep and never wake again.

But I know I can't. I can't leave Nico, Jason, the seven, Annabeth, alone.

I can't make Nico wait another century for me.

I can't let Jason be alone. Not after we had gotten close.

I can't leave the camp. I am a leader.

I don't think that they would know what to do if I stayed down here forever. Forever. It seems so short. Forever and a day is only 24 hours longer than forever.

I swim up, hearing kids shouting, yelling, laughing. The swords clashing, people running through the woods.

I climb out of the water, checking my pocket for Riptide. After Tartarus, the weight brings me comfort.

I slip through the woods and into the creek. The slippery rocks almost making me lose my balance, I draw Riptide and wait.

Two people crash through the bushes and I draw my sword, one of them draws theirs as well and while the other tried to sneak pass, I grabbed them with the water to make it feel like they were walking through a puddle of honey.

I turned their sword out of their hand and it clattered to the ground.

I could hear one of my teammates running back with the flag. They jumped over the creek, and kept running, planting the flag into the ground.

A firework of blue went off, made by the Hecate and Hephaestus cabins.

While everyone was celebrating, a haunting voice left the words, "five days left, Perseus Jackson, five days," echoing through my mind.

The game had taken my mind off of the newcomers and Rachel's prophecy but it was always there.

Suddenly, a cry went up, then another. Apparently, both Delphi and Harry had been claimed.

I ran over to them, Harry had a simple crossed torch above his head.

Above Delphi's head though, was a golden sun was dancing above her head. But the circle was cut in half. Another symbol, two crossed torches were also above her.

Hecate and Apollo had claimed them.