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Poseidon
The latest events had gotten the best of me. Losing my son, only to have him back, only to lose him for the second time to a fate worse than death, after he found a new home and a new family.
It was too much for me; the emotional roller coaster had affected not only my appearance but also the seas. These last days I had let all my rage and pain free, creating massive waves and storms that had ravaged through the coast cities.
I was in my palace in Atlantis, my wife trying futilely to lift my spirits, when a new meeting was called. And it was an emergency. Could it be news about Percy?
As I flashed into the throne room, ten other flashes of light simultaneously appeared, indicating the arrival of all the gods. Artemis was in the middle with Thalia.
"What happened. my daughters?" my brother asked them.
Artemis said something to the Zeus spawn and walked to her formal position.
"The news is not good. There was a battle in the camp half blood," she said. Great, Percy was still missing. And Tartarus had started attacking our homes. I wished my son was here. He would have aided in defending his friends and family.
I was lost in my thoughts, but something Thalia said brought me back to reality.
"Reports showed that someone with a black armor was leading them." she told us. I glanced around at the gods as she continued her narration.
"After our first attacks we switched to close combat with the monsters. But the strange warrior was still alive and I personally fought him." Zeus was tense, but most of the gods didn't see too intrigued-apart from Artemis. She seemed almost reluctant to hear the rest of the story.
"I was badly cornered but Artemis saved me by killing him." Zeus finally relaxed, but Artemis was silently crying. I tried to find her eyes to understand what had happened but she just looked down.
"The fact is that I couldn't kill that man, and I was too stunned to even fight him. Because I knew him. I saw him as we were face to face. And Artemis didn't know. That's why she did what she did to save me." What was she talking about? Maybe a known demigod has switched sides. We couldn't go through that again.
Now we were all looking at Artemis with a puzzled look, while she struggled to compose herself. She was still avoiding our gazes.
"I killed Percy," she whispered.
Numb from shock, I let the words sink in for a moment before I fully understand what she meant.
I had warned them what would happen if Percy got hurt. And now he was dead.
I summoned my trident, pinning Ares to his throne. He would be the second to feel my wrath.
Right now I would destroy the Hunt, as I had promised. Starting with the Goddess that owns it.
"Stop brother, NOW!" Hades yelled at me, stopping me dead in my tracks. It was one of the few times the Lord of the Dead had ever raised his voice.
"Please, Poseidon, wait. We stand with you in the Hunt's punishment if it is truly deserved, but hear your brother out first," said Hestia who now was standing on my side, her hand resting on my shoulder.
Both she and Hades had agreed about Percy being a part of the Hunt and both had warned Artemis. So I knew that if those two didn't act rashly, I shouldn't either.
I turned my head around the throne room, Ares had a horrified look, and Athena was by Artemis side while the other gods were looking the events as they passed in front of their eyes.
I locked eyes with Hades.
"The fact is that I can't sense Percy's spirit in the underworld."
That could only mean two things. One, Percy might not be dead which means this was nothing more than one of Tartarus's tricks, not only to destroy the demigods hope but also to create a conflict within the gods, for Artemis killing him.
But two, it also could mean that Percy was dead and his spirit would be tortured eternally on Tartarus.
"His body?" I asked, looking at Artemis, her eyes not holding mine.
She snapped her fingers and a body appeared, wearing black full body armor. It was Percy.
Even though I wished desperately it was all a trick, the evidence seemed to point in the other direction.
I moved towards it. Seeing his body motionless and still for the second time made something crack inside me.
All he did was to protect us, and the fates rewarded him in the worst possible way. He didn't seem to be able to ever find any peace and quiet. He was the greatest hero ever and still had the worst fate.
And now he was dead and maybe for good this time.
A hero's fate is never happy, I had told him, back when he was twelve and we had met for the first time. It had never hurt more to be right.
"So, how will we move on this point forwards?" asked Zeus, who motioned at me with his hand to sit down. I obeyed, albeit reluctantly.
"We can't let the campers know that their Hero might be dead. So, we stick to our defensive plans and we wait and hope." said Athena, who had managed to calm down the goddess that might have cost me my son.
"I warned you about my son. The only reason you haven't felt my wrath is because there might be more than meets the eye." I told her and as I was ready to flash out Hades cleared his throat.
"Well, I have one more piece of news to share with you. And it's bad," he said, waiting for Zeus's approval to continue talking.
"It seems that one more soul was taken, I don't know how; something powerful is behind it."
His words hit us hard. Now even the dead weren't safe.
"And why this is such a big deal?" Athena asked.
"Well…"
Annabeth
I didn't know how the eternity would pass. I had made a deal with Daedalus, and I had already helped him, but he told me he had something in mind, and that we would cooperate when his plan got on track.
Till then I had to wait.
And Percy's visit didn't help me either. He was trying to look strong, but I knew him, possibly even better he knew himself. I could see that my absence was destroying him; he was starting to go hollow on the inside. I really hoped that he would move on and continue with his life, though I knew it would be difficult.
I was thinking about the love of my life as I was wandering in Elysium. Suddenly, I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. It seemed strange, as if someone was trying to hide from me. My battle instincts kicked in.
I turned and starting to follow the figure, someone with a hood, a guy I was sure, judging from the build.
He walked through the spirits and the moment I started walking towards him, he picked up his pace.
Something told me that I should just keep wandering, forgetting about the figure but my battle instincts and my curiosity won.
I continued following him. Suddenly, he stopped dead on his track, giving me the opportunity to catch up with him.
We had come quite some way away from the last spirits.
"Who are you?" I demanded.
"Oh, but you know too well, don't you?" he said, and his voice was very familiar, so familiar that it left me speechless and breathless.
I couldn't react.
"Don't you? Wise girl?" the man asked. His lips were the only thing I could see under the hood. He smiled, and everything went black. .
The next time I opened my eyes, I was sitting on a chair, my hands tied behind my back.
I looked around me, and in an instant I understood where I was. For the second time in my life, I was dragged to the place that haunted me, even in the last minutes of my life.
I was in Tartarus, in a cell, and someone was lurking by the shadows.
"How?" was the first question that came to my mind?
"For me it's easy actually," the being said, stepping out of his hiding spot, and his voice sent shivers down my spine.
"Tartarus," I spat.
"Very good, godling. Your mother would be proud," he mocked.
"Why did you bring me here? I'm dead, I can't hurt you!" I needed to buy some time, to find a way out of this. But then I thought, out of what? I was literally dead. It couldn't get any worse.
"Oh, but I can use you. See, you have the power to destroy someone, a power I don't. It's nothing personal." the deity spoke, as if he was reading my mind.
"Wait." I said. "Who was the man that I saw? Was it…him?" I asked defeated.
He simply laughed and snapped his fingers.
Immediately the door opened and three men appeared. I knew all of them.
The one was Bob, the other Hyperion and Bob was carrying someone, and I was afraid I knew who it was.
"Here he is, Master," the Titan said, chaining Percy's unconscious body to the wall without even acknowledging my present.
Could Bob have been working for Tartarus all along? But then how could he betray him and still be alive? I had to wait and see. Something here was happening, and it was bigger than me, or even Bob.
"Wake him up. And unchain her" Tartarus commanded, pointing at me.
I saw Bob looking straight at me, stunned by my presence here. He just stood there, watching me, analyzing me, as if he had a plan that had changed due to circumstances. And what if he did?
"NOW!" Tartarus yelled, seeing Bob's hesitation.
And my old friend lowered his head and went on with his assignment.
He came to me, and as he bent over me to unlock my chains, he whispered in such a quiet voice 'sorry, be ready' that I wouldn't have heard it if I wasn't truly focused on him.
He then proceeded with waking Percy up. He used a bucket of water that seemed to heal the son of Poseidon and bring him back to reality while Hyperion was standing beside me, guarding me?
I saw Percy shake his head to fight the dizziness off. Then he tried to look at his surroundings, only for Tartarus to stop him with a punch.
"The real torture starts now!" Tartarus spat at him.
I saw Percy use all his power to lift his head up from the last hit.
The primordial simply reached out his arm and pointed at me.
Two familiar sea green eyes locked with mine. I had never seen so much emotion in them.
"What? How? Why?" were the first words to come out of his mouth.
"You see, I know how to break you, to make you a hollow man, and it will start with her." Replied Tartarus.
"I'm already dead you puny deity," I said, trying to sound smart and brave but my voice almost gave up.
He simply laughed. "Who said I will do anything to you. You'll do all the work…to him" he stated, his plan was perfect for destroying Percy. Be killed by the one who you love.
I turned my gaze to Bob then to Percy, and I saw a single tear drop.
"I won't do anything. I'd rather fade than harm him," I shouted.
"But you see, here in Tartarus I own you, you will do anything I want," he said, and to prove his point, he extended his arm and motioned me to stand up. I did. It was like Piper's charmspeak, but a thousand times harder to resist.
I was a puppet. "No, no, no. You can't do this" I pleaded, tears streaming down my cheeks.
"Annabeth," Percy said, and his voice captured my full attention. As if we were somewhere alone.
"Promise me one thing. Whatever happens here, when you get back to the underworld, and you will, please go for the Isles of the Blessed, start a new life, you may fade if you are haunted." He was serious as he implored me.
"But Percy, all these-" I started only to be interrupted by him
"Just promise me," he begged
I couldn't speak anymore. The feelings were too much. I nodded.
He tried to smile, a small genuine smile, showing all his love for me.
"I'm sorry" he simply said. If Bob hadn't told me to be ready I would have almost missed the signal.
The moment the last word left his mouth,I closed my eyes and I felt like a god came into the room. It was extremely hot and too bright.
After two or three seconds I felt the heat decrease and the light fade.
I lifted my head, ready to open my eyes but I heard Percy again.
"Don't. Please. I love you," he said, and with that I lost consciousness again.
Percy
From the moment Tartarus came into the room the first plan needed to be modified. We needed Tartarus somehow a little distracted, and if we could get to Hyperion too, it would be a bit better for the upcoming war.
I really hated the plan and there was not time to argue or get it ready better.
Then I woke up in a totally different room, with Bob waking me up with a bucket of water. But it was more than that. As we had planned, he had somehow enhanced the water with his essence so that it would almost heal me completely and also give a power boost I needed.
The moment it hit me I felt as good as new. And then I tried checking my surroundings but a punch stopped me. Thanks to the water it didn't give me a headache, but I had to pretend, for the sake of the plan.
But Tartarus claimed that the real pain started now and he pointed something that almost made me forget the plan.
Somehow Tartarus had managed to get Annabeth here. In Tartarus. Even though she was dead. It seemed you couldn't find peace and quiet even when you are dead when you are a demigod.
Seeing her again was a lot worse than the all the torture from the primordial.
I locked eyes with he and hoped that somehow Bob had made sure she wouldn't get caught in the crossfire.
I literally felt my life fly away as Tartarus explained his mind was running so fast I hoped that smoke wouldn't come out of my ears.
I looked at Bob and he seemed to understand. Now or never.
But I had not only to distract Tartarus but also signal Annabeth. And also close a chapter and finally move on. I had to say a last goodbye.
"Annabeth," I said, drawing the attention to me. I hoped with all my strength that Bob was getting ready. "Promise me one thing. Whatever happens here, when you get back to the underworld, and you will, please go for the Isles of the Blessed, start a new life, you may fade if you are haunted." I was deadly serious. It would be the last time I would see or talk to her, except if I died in this room, which I didn't intend on doing.
"But Percy, all these-" she started saying but if I let her it would spoil everything.
"Just promise me." I stopped her and she nodded.
"I'm sorry" I told her. And I meant it. Thanks gods she understood.
Tartarus and Hyperion were just standing there, watching our exchange and it was then that Bob hit.
He used his abilities and lit the whole room in a blinding light that would destroy my eyes, had I not got some of his power through the water.
He then immediately freed me. I took out Riptide, threw it at Hyperion, who was stuck at the same time from Bob and took him out.
Then we turned to Tartarus. Bob had already tackled him and now it was time to do my part.
But before I did I turned to Annabeth. I saw she raised her head but I didn't want her to see what was coming.
"Don't. Please. I love you," I told her and Bob punched Tartarus. As the Primordial hit the wall, Bob turned and send a pulse at her, sending her where she belonged.
I turned at Tartarus, letting my anger fill my body and did something I had sworn never to do again. I controlled him by his blood.
"Now you will pay for everything!" I roared. He was cornered and couldn't do a thing.
I turned at Bob, who was beginning to fade. That was the worst part of the plan. He used his essence and now was paying a price. And he would use the last of it to get me out of here.
"I am truly thankful that I can call you friend," I told him, my voice cracking.
He looked at me. "Fare well Perseus Jackson. The greatest Hero who ever lived.-and my friend."
And with that he sent a pulse of light at me and gave me the boost I needed to use an ability I had gained from Hestia.
To return to the Hearth. To Olympus.
As I felt my body and Tartarus turn into light and power I had one thought in my mind. Artemis.
We both appeared in the Throne Room, all the Gods there in full body armor and their weapons drawn.
And they were too stunned.
Tartarus was also.
"NO!" he yelled as he tried to leap at me but Artemis was faster and already had sent a volley of arrows at him.
"DESTROY HIM!" Poseidon roared and all the Gods send a beam of power at the primordial.
"Go to the void!" I yelled as I used my power to increase the temperature of his ichor and deliver the final blow. This came with a loud explosion as Tartarus faded and a large earthquake followed.
I kneeled from sheer exhaustion. I had completed my greatest feat.
I was there, trying to catch my breath as I heard a voice.
"Percy?"
I turned to see my father and Artemis right behind him.
And I did the most natural thing.
I went for a Artemis.
Forget defeating Tartarus. If I made it out of this one alive, it would truly be my greatest feat.
So…that's it!
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