Hey guys.
Sorry for the wait again. August was a hella busy month for me with school and water polo and everything. Trying to get back into writing. Was somehow inspired by The Last of Us, which if you haven't played, you must, because it changed my life. As corny as that sounds, it's true.
This is a very detailed and full of info chapter, so get ready for it all
Remember to read and review! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own PJO or HoO, I only own my OC's and plot ideas.
"This is the end... hold your breathe and count to ten..." a voice rang through the soundwaves of the Fields of Punishment. It was emanating from a deep pit, where the roars of monsters was just overpowered by a young man singing Adele's, "Skyfall." Alecto snarled at the sound, quickly muttering curses as she had already dealt with this person several times this day. Her leathery wings flapped with an irritant hum.
She hovered above the pit.
"What the blazes do you want this time? More punishment? Or was the last one enough for you?" she screeched out at the son of Poseidon. Percy's ears perked up at the call, before he grinned widely and smiled at Alecto. His feet dangled over the edge, and he was coated in his own blood, dirt, and he had been stripped down to a nude self due to the monsters clawing at his clothes. He had made it up to a higher ledge, where the monsters couldn't reach, but he knew this ledge would collapse under his weight, just as the last one had. His blistered heat hung over the edge.
"There she is. Come to tell me a bedtime story. How about, "Beauty and the Beast?"I like that one. I'll be the beauty, and you'll be the beast," he cackled. Alecto snarled in anger as she flicked her wrist at him. Her fiery whip lashed across his chest with a sickening snap. Percy's eyes widened in pain, before he began laughing again.
"There's no point inflicting more pain. I'm already broken, and when I get out of this hellhole, (no pun intended), you'll be the first one to suffer my wrath," he warned. Alecto chuckled.
"You think you're ever getting out of here? No one has ever escaped from the Fields of Punishment, especially our highest security soul to date! Hades got his own personal pack of hellhounds to guard you!" she gestured to the heads of the beasts, who were leaning over the edge of the pit, staring Percy down. Percy glared back fiercely, causing one of the larger Hellhounds to whimper back.
"Not very impressed Alecto. You'll see impressive very soon. Very soon.. Aha! AHAHAHAHA!" Percy laughed evilly, smiling a menacing smile at Alecto before winking. The fury flew away angrily that she had been embarrassed like that by someone who once feared her like the devil. She knew he was up to something, but what, she couldn't put a finger on. She shrugged, until a howl pulled her out of her thoughts.
Cerberus was howling an alarm, his three heads facing the entrance to Tartarus across the Fields of Asphodel. The sealed walls had fallen, and monsters were pouring into the Underworld from an even more evil place. Alecto's jaw dropped, as she heard a male voice singing "Skyfall," once more, followed by a deep roar from a reptilian monster.
"Di Immortales!" she cursed before rushing to Hades' palace to warn her master.
"I haven't killed this many godlings since the first Titan war! Demititans were at least more of a challenge!" Erebus' voice yelled as he slashed at the campers who had started a counterattack. His army of thousands continued to press forward towards the Camp Half-Blood borders. The campers were fighting with heart, vigor, and bravery, but there were just too many enemies in Erebus and Tartarus' army.
Adrastos was leading the Magmordians, the colossal fire beings, coated in flowing lava and fire, around the right flank of camp. The were met by catapults, Scorpions, and ballistas, but the Magmordians stood strong and continued to press on forward. Several children of Ares charged Adrastos, who pulled out his massive mace and made quick work of the children of the war god. The first one, a very tall muscular kid with a cocky smirk, raised his sword and charged Adrastos head on. The son of Prometheus smirked and swung his mace underneath his legs, sweeping them out from under him, and brought the mace down on his neck. His spine snapped instantly with a sickening crunch.
Adrastos smiled at his mace, as it had been a while since it had touched blood. Two more kids double teams him, but Adrastos round-house kicked the one on his left, a stocky girl with very large arms, and bashed the one on his right, a small but lean boy, with the hilt of his mace. The girl got up and charged again, her spear in hand, but Adrastos dropped his mace and tackled her midsection. He put her in a sleeper hold, and proceeded to snap her neck like a twig. He quickly grabbed his mace in time to barely deflect the scrawny boy's thrust at his midsection. He was off balanced so the attack had knocked him off his feet.
He landed with a thud, and the boy jumped high, and began to drive the sword down towards Erebus' second in command's body, but Adrastos was too fast. He rolled to the side, kipped up onto his feet, and smashed the child of the war god's face with his mace.
Adrastos wiped the dirt of his shoulder and looked over towards the main war-party nearby Thalia's pine. They were being bombarded by the Hunter's arrows, but it didn't seem like much of a problem. The Wyrms, who had thick hides, were taking casualties but not many for that matter. Erebus seemed to be taking care of the problem. Dark energy pulsed around him, lashing out at campers like it had a mind of its own. However, it was daytime though, and Adrastos noticed that Erebus was not at his full power.
Erebus was an intimidation to the entire Camp Half-Blood. They had never fought something as powerful, and the fact that he was still using Percy's body as a host proved that if he did gain the power to shed Percy's body into his true form, the end of the world and all mankind was sure to come. But knowing this, the campers fought with intensity and vigor like they had never before.
"Stand strong, my students. PRESS FORWARD!" Chiron commanded. He was shooting his bow at an incredible rate, taking out monsters left and right. The Camp and the Hunters began pushing forward with renewed energy, hacking away at fallen Centaurs, Laistrygonians, Dracaena, Chimera, Harpies, and Minotaurs alike.
The Hunters with the help of Peleus the dragon and Chiron, were protecting Thalia's pine tree and the Golden Fleece. They were posted all along the top of Half-Blood Hill, shooting at the oncoming monsters from above. A Hunter knocked her bow with three arrows, aimed at a charging Wyrms, and fired. The three arrows whizzed through the air, and buried themselves deep into the Wyrms chest, neck, and skull, killing it instantly.
"Aim for the neck!" a Hunter called out to her sisters. "The neck is their weak spot!" The hunters began firing at the necks of the Wyrms, and to their joy, Thalia was right. They began dropping like flies, boosting their mentality and that of the campers. Cheers echoed throughout the campers, and a counterattack ensued.
The Magmordians, however, were what was keeping the campers from completing their counterattack.
The Magmordians had decimated the right flank of the Demigods. They ground around them was scorched, coated in a charred lava-flow that made it look like a forest fire had just destroyed that land. One Magmordian had been destroyed, due to a well aimed catapult to the neck, but there were still four more standing and attacked strong. The took out ranks of demigods with single swings, causing mass panic in the Greeks. That's when all Hades broke loose. Literally.
A deafening roar was heard from the west. The fighting had stopped, and all heads were turned towards the sound of the roar. Erebus dropped a camper he had held by the throat, and when he turned, his jaw dropped.
"It can't be..." he said through Percy's lips. The campers took several steps back, as they were in absolute terror as to what was approaching.
Because from the West, charging at the rear of the Tartarus and Erebus' army, was Typhon, the Father of All Monsters, and Lord of Storms, followed by the four Titans of the North, South, East, and West, and all of Camp Jupiter. But the most surprising view was of a child once killed. The son of Zeus. Zade had returned.
"Romans! Unleash HELL!" The voice of their praetor cried. Jason and Reyna led the charge as the five Cohorts of the Roman Legion charged. Frank turned into a Dragon and began eating monsters left and right, throwing them about and making waste of them. The Roman eagles swooped down and clawed at the army with their large, golden talons. Reyna's dogs began running through the ranks of the monsters, biting at the necks of unsuspected Wyrms and Laistrygonians.
"They did it! Campers, rally your hopes! They are on our side!" Chiron commanded. The campers cheered once more and charged at the monsters, whose confidence had left them. Panic swept through the monsters, until a single voice took them out of their thoughts
"MY WARRIORS! CRUSH THESE PUNY DEMIGODS BEFORE I CRUSH YOU ALL MYSELF!" Erebus roared out. He then summoned dark energy around him, and shot a bolt of darkness at Typhon. The colossal monsters, stumbled back, roaring in pain, but he quickly regained his footing as golden Ichor flowed down his body.
Typhon roared again, his colossal form sending waves of fear into the monster army.
"Stand strong, my brothers!" Adrastos yelled out, trying to calm his army, but it did not work. Mass panic had already taken over the morale of the troops, and the monsters began fleeing for their lives. The Romans, and Greeks started to regain the upper hand as the took a chunk out of the troops from the front and rear of the army. Hyperion was slashing away at the monsters with his sword engulfed in flames, and Iapetus was impaling the enemy with his spear and unmatched speed. Annabeth and Nico were hanging back behind the Romans, due to the trauma and fatigue they had been through, but Zade, Thalia, and Tyson were pressing on.
"THIS... THIS ISN'T OVER! WE WILL DESTROY YOU AND OLYMPUS, BRICK BY BRICK!" Erebus roared before he began to levitate off the ground, dark energy pulsing around him and his army. He muttered several words, and with a gust of wind, the entire army vanished.
"We've done it!" Zade yelled. The campers let out a cheer, before Chiron cantered over to the Roman army. His gallop came to a halt as he took note of the most feared monster by all of Olympus towering above the Romans.
"Thank you, uncles. You have saved our camp," Chiron said to the Titans and Typhon.
"Do not thank us. We may be here to help, but as soon as this is over we will be enemies once more," Hyperion responded.
"And don't think we will just be peaceful, as well," Krios chimed in, his ram horns on his head coated with blood. At that moment Zade, Annabeth, Tyson, Thalia, and Nico walked forward. Chiron smiled at first, but then took into realization something that seemed to be disturbing them.
"You did it... but... where are the others?" he asked, but as soon as he did, he knew what had happened. Annabeth burst into tears and hugged Chiron.
"They were killed... slaughtered by Brutallus and his... Wrath-Bringers," she cried. Nico nodded in confirmation. Zade stepped forward though, and spoke out to Chiron for the first time in five years.
"However, done is done. We cannot dread on the past. We must hope to the future," he said. Chiron opened his mouth, but Zade interrupted.
"Yes I will answer your questions later, right now we need to tend to the wounded and the dead," he said. Chiron nodded as Zade walked past, followed by the Romans. Annabeth, Tyson, Nico and Thalia stayed behind.
Chiron turned to Typhon and the Titans.
"You are welcome to stay in Camp if you want-"
"No. We will keep watch in case they come back," Typhon responded. The four Titans nodded.
"Although it would have been nice to sleep in a bed..." Iapetus muttered, followed by a snarl from Typhon that shut him up. Chiron nodded, and proceeded to walk back to the camp borders with the 4 campers.
"What of Percy? That didn't sound like him when he led their army," he asked. Annabeth cringed.
"That's because it wasn't him. Erebus has taken control of his body. Percy is dead, Chiron..." she whispered, trying to keep the tears in. Chiron face was hit with a wave of sadness, and Tyson began to sob.
"My brother is being tortured. His mind gone. Mean Furies," he choked out between sobs. Nico patted him on the back reassuringly.
"There there, big guy. Let's go back to camp and get some food," he suggested. Tyson nodded and the two walked back together.
"What did Tyson mean?" Chiron asked. "About the 'his mind is gone,' part?"
"Percy seems insane to me. I have never seen him so angry and so obsessed with something. I think he is being twisted by the Primordials to the point where his thoughts aren't his own anymore," Thalia added. Annabeth nodded in agreement.
"Yeah. He told us about Erebus taking control of his body. Apparently he was killed by his friend and now commander Adrastos in a duel," Athena's daughter replied. Chiron nodded, taking note of the situation. He shuffled his feet uncomfortably. He began to walk back down Half-Blood Hill towards the rest of camp, and the two ladies followed suit.
"This is grave news. Good for our side in the war, but... I believe there is still some good in him, deep down in his soul. Let us hope he is not lost forever," Chiron said grimly. Thalia and Annabeth bowed their heads in brief recognition. Annabeth's gray eyes deepened with sorrow, as she stared over Half-Blood Hill one last time, watching the sunset like she used to with her lover, who was now gone. A tear streaked down her cheek, which washed some dirt and residue off her gentle face. Her right hand slowly crept up to fondle her wedding gift from Percy, his ring, but to her shock, it was not there.
"No..." she muttered in panic. Chiron turned around swiftly.
"Is something the matter, Annabeth?"
"Oh... no. I'll be right back. Meet you guys in the dining pavilion," she replied with haste. Annabeth then broke off into a sprint back down to where the battle had taken place, in search of her ring. She had an idea where it might be, so she took off to where she was stationed during the fight.
She looked around and noticed the amount of golden dust that was scattered around the fields, and the blood soaked grass that shined from the light. Bloodied swords and weapons still clung to the earth, like a child not wanting to let go of a doll.
"Oh my gods..." she muttered as she saw a blood-drenched sword with its owners severed hand still clinging to it with a dying grip. She turned her chin away after speaking a short prayer to the owner of the hand.
Annabeth grimly looked over the battlefield as she continued on her way to where she thought the ring was located.
She noticed a sparkle several hundred yards away; a blue glistening that caught her attention almost immediately. She began to break into a run as what was clearly her ring began to seem closer and closer. That was when things went awry.
She felt like she was beginning to run through molasses, as everything slowed down around her. The wind on the trees game to an abrupt halt. The songbirds ceased almost immediately as the once very much alive world shifted into a desolate, still world. She heard a crack, like the sound of a broken twig to her right. She turned her head, and was met a blunt object striking her in the face. She was knocked off her feet and rolled away from her attacker for several yards, before drawing her knife from its sheath. Almost immediately, an arrow rocketed out of nowhere at her hand, glanced off the hilt of her dagger, but leaving her hand unscathed. The Celestial Bronze knife clattered out of her hand about several yards away, which she proceeded to crawl to with great urgency. She grabbed the knife and rolled over on her back, ready to ward off an attacker, but was once again met with a sharp pain.
A large boot slammed onto her risk, and she screamed in pain. She could see the gaping image of Typhon in the distance, who was keeping watch, but like the rest of the world and the nature, he was perfectly still, as if frozen in time. Annabeth's eyes shut immediately, as an abnormal fear overcame her, which with Annabeth happened very rarely. She slowly opened her eyes, and they widened immediately at the sight.
A large, bulky man was crouched above her, his left boot on her right wrist, and his right hand clenching a pitch black blade which he held against her jugular. He was incredibly tan, albeit still looking of caucasian decent. He gruff face was littered in scars, which gave him a wicked look. His baldhead glistened in the sunlight, as did his eyes, which Annabeth noticed right away. They were a deep gray, although they were very different than hers. They were a deeper, darker gray, as if they had seen some horrible things and were full of dread and sorrow. His red armor weighed down on her like a ton of bricks.
"Try to pull anything, and I will have to kill you, girl, which I do not want to do. Lives should never be wasted. Especially those of a sibling," he added. He took his blade slowly off of her neck, and raised his boot off her wrist. Annabeth smartly sheathed her knife and sat up, stroking her clearly broken wrist as she winced in pain.
"Who.. who are you?" she asked. The burly man opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by a commanding voice.
"Enough, Baticus. I will do the talking," the voice said as its host made its way out of the trees that were bordering Annabeth and Baticus' encounter. The man was wearing a matte black and dark brown leather fur coat with black pants and a gray scarf. He wore black combat boots that hat a spike on the end of them, which looked like they were stained with blood. Annabeth took a mental note that this man was not someone to mess with.
As he approached, the sound of clanking metal became apparent as two fang swords swayed against his armor. One was dark white, if that made any sense at all, and the other sword was bright like the sun. They were also blood-stained, as was the wolf mask that was on his head. His facial expression looked grim and serious, which was supplemented by his deep yellow eyes. He had tan skin as well and many scars, but unlike Baticus, he had brown hair that went down to his neck. Annabeth gulped nervously.
"But she is a daughter of Wisdom as well..." Baticus started but was cut off as well. The man held up a hand.
"I said, enough," he snarled. Baticus nodded with remorse.
"Yes, sir."
"Good, now, allow me to introduce myself and my colleagues. I am Redric... and we," he spread his arms, as two other figures revealed themselves stepping out of the shadows and a third leaping down from a tree, bow in hand, "are the Nephlims. And just to put out there, that was a good shot Felcia," he complemented to the woman with the bow, who merely nodded. Redric turned back to Annabeth and wiped the small smile off his hardened face. Annabeth gulped once again. She looked at the three figures who had just came into the equation.
The lady with the bow, Felcia, had red, long hair, and crimson eyes. She was clad in a black tank top that which was covered by dark gray leather armor and a black skirt which went midway down her thighs. On her back was a staff that was made of a material Annabeth couldn't figure out, and she too looked like she meant business.
The next one who caught her eye was a man who had bright, spiky silver hair. It looked like Artemis' eyes, and surprisingly fit him suitingly well. He was wearing a blue and white jacket and black pants. He was wielding an o-katana, which looked as sharp as shark's teeth. His green eyes were piercing against his pale skin. He had an arrogant look on her face.
The final one was more of an unsettling figure in Annabeth's eyes. This man had pale skin as well, but had blue hair which looked rather strange. He had venom colored eyes, which seemed to change pigment and varied between different shades of green and yellow. He wore a sleeveless hood, which cast an ominous shadow over his face. His facial features remained unknown to Annabeth, but that was not what she was focusing on. What really caught her eye was the snake tattoo which she could barely make out starting on his neck and which seemed to cover the left part of his torso altogether. He had two scythes hanging on each side of his body, which dripped with a green venom, which appeared like poison. He had a sadistic smile and stared at Annabeth, much to her terror.
"Why can't we just kill her Redric? I would love to hear her scream as she slowly dies," he growled viciously. Redric shot him a cold stare which unsettled the man to the point where his evil smile was wiped clean off his face.
"And what, Saldo? Tell the master that the one he has taken interest in is dead? Are you a damned fool!" he snarled. The man who was known as Saldo took a step back before shooting Annabeth one last evil glare. Redric turned back to Annabeth. "Now, where were we? Ah yes, the introduction. Once more I am Redric, the man who broke your wrist is Baticus," Baticus quickly sent an apologetic look at Annabeth," that crazy son-of-a-bitch is Saldo, the lady who almost put a hole in your hand is Felcia, and Veric is the quiet one with the silver hair and katana. Now that that is out of the way, let's get downed to business." He said that last part in a way that made Annabeth shiver.
"What do you want?" she asked, her eyes darting between the five Nephlims, before they finally returned to Redric. Redric cold yellow eyes seemed to stare straight into her soul.
"I want to know everything you know about your lover, Annabeth. Tell me about Percy Jackson," he said calmly. Annabeth looked startled. What did he get himself into now?
"Who's asking?" she asked bravely. Redric laughed out loud, which seemed to startle the others in the group. It appeared that he never laughed.
"You're brave, daughter of Athena. But have no worries. I am willing to exchange something that you cherish for just a little information about this fabled 'Hero of Olympus.'" He pulled out Annabeth's sapphire and emerald ring Percy had left her, and her jaw dropped immediately. Redric continued, "I have heard many great things about him that my, master, so to say, has taken great interest in. Apparently he is the greatest hero that has ever lived. I'd like to see for myself if that's true," he finished, placing the ring in Annabeth's jacket pocket. Annabeth looked into his yellow eyes, and decided to be honest with this man.
"Well, I can tell you one thing. His hero days are long gone. Long gone," she said gravely. Redric looked at Baticus almost worriedly, and then at his fellow Nephlims. They did not meet his gaze.
"What exactly do you mean," he asked agitated. Annabeth then told him the story how he saved the world first from Kronos, then from the Giants, and then how they were going to marry, until Zeus wrongly threw him into Tartarus. She continued with him becoming a Champion and Harbinger of Evil under Tartarus and Erebus, and continued with every detail of what had occurred recently until she finished with him being tortured in the pit and dead, with Erebus in control of his body.
Redric stroked his chin. "That is a lot to take in. Thank you, daughter of Athena. I must be off. χάος χαλάζι!" He exclaimed.
"χάος χαλάζι!" Felcia, Baticus, Saldo, and Veric responded. There was a flash of light, and as swiftly as the nature stopped, it started back up again, and just like that, they were gone. Annabeth picked herself off her butt, cradling her wrist, still trying to comprehend what had happened. Time seemed to have restarted as Annabeth made her way back to camp, trying to decipher what they had had meant by saying χάος χαλάζι. She had some troubling thoughts, but she pushed them aside for later. She needed to get her wrist checked out and get some sleep.
How was that! Decided not to give you guys another month long cliffhanger this time.
What did you think? Loved it? Hated it?
Comment below, let me know!
What of the nephlims? what are they up to?! Stay tuned to find out. Haha I sound like one of those lame announcers. Anyway, I will try to get the next chapter up in a jiffy. But actually this time, it should be just a week.
Until then, cheers!
-Predator Drone
