Poor Carter and Sadie honestly, my babies are pretty damn upset. Also- just pointing something out to you guys. Sally has written the books about her kids adventures, and Annabeth is 100% the type of person to get a crush on book characters, just saying.
Replies:
Ryan Fowler: I mean, he's an asshole but it's not too surprising, he doesn't hide it much.
Batmanuchiha: It's not even exactly water it's Chaos matter.
Rage2091: I mean, the power of chaos is pretty intense.
Undeath9087: I hope you enjoy what I've done here! And not a Sadie chapter, but we do get a nice chunk of poor Carter's thoughts.
Alina Carter: You're right with that.
Anna Schroeder: That's right.
Guest: Well we shall see.
Zephyr0f8: Eh, not bad, but just imagine her telling it in a casual way, just talking to someone and being like 'Oh yeah, that reminds me of that one time when I was like, nine and Apophis tried to possess me, not fun.'

The last year or so hard not been kind to Carter. Before the last nine months he hadn't really had a list of the most traumatic things he'd ever been through- why would he. But now he did, oh he really, really did. He had a list- and he could name the top five.

And it said something that seeing Set shove his dad into a sarcophagus was at the bottom of the list- until about five seconds ago the top of the list had been witnessing Apophis possessing his nine year old baby sister- though seeing both of his sisters either half dead or actually dead in Dallas had been a very close second.

Now though, now he had a new top of the list- and Carter could hear his muffled screams, hear Zia's muffled sobs as he watched Percy purposely knocking both herself and Setne off balance- and he got it. Really he did, he understood why his sister would try and throw herself and Setne into the Sea of Chaos- he had no doubt that in her mind the idea of Apophis getting her again was the worst possible thing that could happen- he knew that the effects of the possession weren't just physical scars- he knew that it had been horrifying for her- he genuinely wasn't sure how she'd freed herself from his control.

But even so- watching as his sister fell backwards as Setne was forced to release his grip on her and fall forwards was something he'd never be able to stop seeing. Carter was sure he'd see it every time he closed his eyes. And then Percy was gone from the jetty- fallen out of sight-and Carter was helpless, powerless, he could feel tears soaking into the bandages wrapped around his face as he screamed until his throat was hoarse- and Setne was staggering to his feet looking stunned.

"Well I didn't expect that." he moved over to the edge of the jetty, there was no urgency in his movements, and Carter hated him all the more for that, and he felt something inside of him shatter as Setne looked over the edge and let out a light little humming noise.

"Oh well. Her choice I suppose." he turned back towards Carter and Zia- and there wasn't even a trace of guilt on his face as he rubbed his hands together, "It's a shame but the plan works without her. Anyway, where was I-" he continued, as if Percy hadn't just fallen to her inevitable death.

"MMMMHM!" that came from Zia- there was fury in it, but Carter couldn't turn his head away from the jetty- from the spot where his sister had just disappeared.

"Ah yes, I remember," Setne clapped his hands, "This is the part where you say, 'You're mad, Setne! You'll never get away with it!' But the thing is, I will. I've been getting away with impossible stuff for thousands of years. I'm sure the snake and I can come to a deal. Oh, I'll let him kill Ra and the rest of the gods. Big deal, and I doubt he'll be too annoyed about your sisters fate, she was just a little bonus for him. I'll let him destroy the House of Life. I'll definitely let him tear down Egypt and every cursed statue of my dad, Ramses. I want that blowhard erased from existence! But the whole mortal world? Don't worry about it, pal. I'll spare most of it. I've gotta have some place to rule, don't I?"

Zia must have done something because a moment later Setne laughed, "Nice try, doll. You guys sit tight. If you make it through the big shake-up, I'll come back and get you. Maybe you can be my jesters or something. You two crack me up! But in the meantime, I'm afraid we're done here. No miracle's gonna drop from the sky and save you."

And then a rectangle of darkness appeared in the air just above the ghost's head, and Sadie dropped out of it.

If Carter wasn't so deep in despair he'd have probably laughed as she crashed into Setne and sent him sprawling- and she quickly noticed that he and Zia were wrapped up like presents.

After that it took Sadie less than a second to realize just what was going and she whirled towards Setne, shoving her staff forward. "TAS!"

"NOOO!" and Setne was instantly wrapped in pink ribbons until he looked like a forkful of spaghetti- Carter just knew that Percy would cackle with laughter if she was there- but she wasn't gods she wasn't. His eyes burned with more tears as he saw Sadie stand and step back from Setne.

And even as filled with grief as he was he noticed that her eyes were puffy like she'd been crying and her clothes were covered in dried mud and leaves- and Walt wasn't with her.

Carter felt another blow of grief at that- though nothing could match the overwhelming feeling of agony that came with the idea of Percy being gone.

And Sadie seemed to take in the scene- the Sea of Chaos, the serpent's writhing shadow, the white obelisk. Carter could tell she felt the pull of Chaos. She braced her feet, leaning away from the sea like the anchor-person in a tug-of-war.

And he knew her well enough to see that she was steeling herself, pushing her emotions back inside and forcing her sorrow down- though that wouldn't last when she realised why Percy wasn't there Carter was sure.

"Hello, brother dear." Her voice was unsteady. "Need some help?" And she made quick work of dispelling the glamor on them- and she looked surprised for a second when she saw that Carter was clutching the crook and flail. "How- no it doesn't matter did you leave-" except Carter was already moving, almost knocking Sadie over as he rushed towards the edge of the jetty where Percy had fallen over- and Zia cried out, catching his arm and yanking him backwards, wrapping her arms around him, pinning his arms to his chest.

"Carter no!" Zia's voice cracked, "Carter it's no use-"

"What-" and Carter saw a look of fear starting to blossom on Sadie's face, "What's no use?" she glanced towards the spot Carter had been rushing at and Carter. "What's going on- what- W-where's Percy? Did you leave her behind- smart move you don't want the sha..." she trailed off as Carter let out a heart wrenching sob, shaking her head frantically.

"No- no you- Carter what's going on what happened?" there was denial shining in her eyes- she was smart Carter knew- a part of her had probably already realised why he was so broken.

It was Zia who spoke, her voice wavering slightly. "Setne betrayed us. He bound us and-" she swallowed hard, "He was going to give Percy to Apophis- I think she was trying to drag him in with her but-"

"D-drag him where?" Sadie's voice was so small suddenly. "You- stop being stupid and explain."

"Sadie I'm sorry-" Zia loosened her grip on Carter- who surged forward, wrapping his arms around Sadie tightly, tears pouring down his cheeks as he felt his sister's whole body go tense.

"No. No you- please tell me she didn't please tell me-"

"She- into the Sea of Chaos."

And when Sadie's legs gave out Carter sunk to his knees with her as Sadie screamed into his shoulder, both of them grieving.

And Carter wasn't sure how long they would have stayed there if it wasn't for Zia letting out a stunned gasp.

"Over there!"

...

Percy felt pain.

Oh she had a strong resistance to Chaos, there was no doubt about that- but even with that resistance falling into the Sea of Chaos wasn't something Percy would want to experience again.

She could feel it tearing at her very being, seeping into her, dissolving her.

The spell that had bound her disappeared within seconds, dissipating in the sheer power of the chaos all around her as she sunk through the matter of the Sea of Chaos.

Percy closed her eyes, forcing back tears that would just evaporate as soon as they were shed.

And perhaps it was a cruel joke- her resistance to the powers of Chaos meant that she could survive just for a few seconds, survive the full power of it all around her, survive in agony before her death- without the resistance she was sure she'd have died instantly- which would have probably been preferable.

Percy wasn't sure how much time was passing- it wasn't something that she could keep track of very well, given where she was.

It felt simultaneously like she'd been there for a lifetime, and yet at the same time it felt like the blink of an eye.

It was hard to think- she could feel her coherent thoughts drifting away before she could catch them. She was supposed to be doing something- she was there for a reason- but what was it. She couldn't pin it down.

Fight little one.

And- those weren't her thoughts. Percy opened her eyes slowly, blinking fuzzily, though all she could see was red gray swirling matter all around her.

"H-hello?" Percy wasn't sure how she managed to speak- she wasn't even sure how the words came out- she was half convinced she didn't even have a body anymore- she felt as if she was breaking apart into a thousand tiny pieces. "Who- who-"

Persephone Ariadne Kane. You are the girl who forced back Apophis. You can survive this. You must little one. Think of your family.

And Percy saw flashes of memories- things that until that moment had been slipping away.

She saw herself, a tiny five year old staring at a boy gently wiping her tears with a handkerchief.

She saw herself giggling and dancing with her daddy, her mommy watching with a soft gleam in her eyes wearing a
beautiful white dress.

She saw herself, standing between Set and her siblings, protecting them.

She saw herself tumbling into Carter's arms out of the Sedan- back during their first adventure.

She saw herself pinning Set/Amos down her blade pressed to his throat inside of the Pyramid.

She saw herself sliding down the side of the Pyramid, towards the Pyramidion.

She saw herself, Carter and Sadie, stood in front of the gods who bowed before them

She saw herself laughing with Sadie, her hair wrapped up in silver foil as Sadie dyed it.

She saw herself in the museum, laughing as she twirled in her dress.

She saw herself on a beach in Alexandria, a fierce storm raging around her.

She saw herself yelling at Desjardins after she'd been captured.

She saw herself forcing the snake out, for them. Always for them.

Saw herself hugging her pregnant mom tightly after a nightmare.

She curled her fingers into fists, heart racing in her chest as she focused.

She was Persephone Ariadne Kane, Blood of Pharaohs. She was the daughter of Poseidon, the blood of two worlds.

And she would not die by disintegration. No way.

She could feel strength flooding through her as she focused, almost pulling herself together again- and it took more effort than she'd have ever believed possible but she focused, pulled on her magic- and a moment later she was shrinking, transforming- and then with a flap of powerful wings she was soaring out of the churning sea of Chaos matter, flapping her wings once, twice, three times, and then she was tilting her body forward, flying into the jetty, crashing hard and transforming a second later- gasping and shuddering.

Her whole body hurt, red tendrils of chaos matter clung to her skin, and she could barely move- the exhaustion was unlike anything Percy had felt before.

But she was alive.

She had fallen into the Sea of Chaos itself and survived.