Chapter 5

I woke up with the worest headache in my life. My body ache from those stupid spears and Cain throwing me into a chair. Then they'd thrown me into this dungon type place. Stone walls and floor, water from who knows where laying in puddles all around the room. I put my hand on the wall and tried to stand up. There was a wooden door in front of me. When I tried to walk to it, I fell to the stone floor. "What the-" I looked to my legs.

A chain was wrapped around my ankle. It reminded me of the spear because it was glowing blue. I gripped it tight and yank at it. It didn't break, not that I expected it too. Michael took my knife so it's not like I could saw through it. I gave it another tug. Still nothing. I wondered if they got Percy. Which wouldn't make sense consittering, they questioned me about him. I just hoped he was alright. Without realizing it I had been pulling the chains again. "I-It's no use. Don't waste your energy." a familiar voice said.

I looked to the left and saw Nico laying on the ground. His jacket was torn and a wound was bleeding on his arm. Blood ran down the sides of his mouth. Nico's black hair was drenched with sweat. "N-Nico? What happened to you?" I asked.

"I was running through the forest, I was almost to Camp Half-Blood. But they-"-Nico winced-"shot me. The pain was too much, I couldn't go on. They captured me and brought me here."

"Why didn't they help you?"

"They didn't help you, so what makes you think they would help me?" Nico muttered.

I sat silently. "Do they have Percy?"

"No. He would be here with us."

That was good. So we did have a chance of getting out of here after all. "Annabeth. They're planning something." Nico told me. "I have a feeling Percy and I are part of what they're planning."

"What could they possibly be planning? And who are they anyway?" I asked.

"They call themselves the Demigod Hunters. They hunt and kill demigods. Though I'm not sure why they decided to not kill you and me. Well, if you were with Percy, and he got away, they probably thought you'd give them information on him." Nico explained.

"Like what?"

"Like where his Achilles spot is."

I froze. If they found out...Percy was dead. "Nico, Cain touched my shoulder and said that they didn't need to look for Percy, that he would come to them. Why?"

"I've learned Cain has this...'power'. He can touch someone and know parts of that person's past. He probably saw that Percy and you were dating. So he thought Percy would come looking for you. He's probably right. Percy forgot all about me." Nico sounded like he was going to cry.

"Nico, Percy will come for you too." I said.

The wooden door opened and Mark threw in a demigod. He was the one we followed and then I got captured. Mark chained the demigod's foot to the wall. "Hey! What are you doing that for?" the demigod protested.

Mark ignored him and slammed the door shut. The demigod sighed and leaned against the stone wall. "Who are you? If you don't mind me asking." I said to him. "My name is Josh." he told me. "What's your's?"

"Annabeth. And that's Nico."

"Cool. So uh, Annabeth, do you know what's going on here? Lately, I've been getting attacked by pretty much everyone." Josh said grimly.

"Josh, you know the stories about the greek gods and stuff?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Well, when the gods are real and when they have kids with mortals, demigods are the result. You're one of them."

"So is that why Mark called me a son of Hermes?"

"Yes. I'm a daughter of Athena and Nico is a son of Hades."

Nico weakly waved to Josh. I leaned against the wall. My body was so weak. "Hey, are you OK?" Josh asked.

"I'm fine..." I said.

"Josh, how did you end up here?" Nico asked.

"A few mouths ago I was attacked by these monsters and this guy saved me. I think his name was...Luke. He told me he would explain everything to me later. Luke told me to just hide somewhere in the city. I waited but he never came." Josh sighed.

"L-Luke?" I choked.

"Yeah, you know him?" Josh looked hopeful.

I couldn't find the right words. Nico said, "Yup. He tried to kill us on more than one occasion. Sorry, Josh. Luke is dead."

"What? How?" Josh stammered.

Nico glanced at me, "I'll tell you later."

I closed my eyes hoping my dreams would bring me somekind of peace. Well, I was wrong.

In my dream, there was fire and ruin around me. I relized I was in the lab, where I had been questioned. People shouted and ran. Guns fired and the clash of metal rang in my ears. Some of the faces I saw were kids from camp, Clarisse, Chris, Katie, Jake, Pollux, Grover and....Thalia? What was she doing here? "Annabeth," someone said.

I turned around to find Percy, smiling and holding his hand out to me. Before he could even blink I was in his arms, hugging him that seemed to last forever. "Percy, what are you doing here?" I sobbed.

"Well, I'm not going to let you die." Percy said.

"Percy! Annabeth! We need to go!" Travis and Connor ran up to us.

I let go of Percy and noticed a horrible scar on his face. It looked...just like Luke's. "Come on!" Percy grabbed my hand.

Arrows few through the air. Percy pulled me behind a table as an arrow few pass my head. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Katie fall to the floor. A Demigod Hunter raised his bow and arrow and aimed it toward Katie. I pulled away from Percy. "Katie, move!" I yelled running toward her.

Just as I got to her, the hunter let his arrow go. "Annabeth!" Percy cried.

I shut my eyes, wishing it would all just end. Nothing hit me. No arrow, bullet, nothing. I openned my eyes. Blood was splattered on the ground in front of me. But not Katie's or mine. Percy was on his knees in front of me. Blood trickling down both sides of his mouth. An arrow sticking out of his back. I realized it was the small of his back. His Achilles spot. Jake pulled Katie away from Percy and I. Tears sprang to my eyes. "Percy-why would you-" I sobbed.

He just smiled sweetly at me. Percy wiped away tears on my cheeks. "Annabeth, it doesn't matter why I did it, all that matters is that you're alive."

Before I could say anything, Percy fell into my arms. "Percy! No!" I yelled.

I pulled the arrow out of his back and turned him over. The idiot was still smiling. I placed his head in my lap. "Percy, please, don't die. I need you." I told him.

Percy tried to sit up. He winced and grunted in pain. "Percy, don't! You'll just-" I didn't finish.

He kissed me. Maybe for the last time. I wrapped my arms around him. Why did it have to be him? WHY? Percy fell limp in my arms. "NO!" I screamed.

Then I woke up. Sweat poured down my forehead. Nico and Josh were sleeping. But the terrible truth hit me. Demigod dreams were always visions of the future or things actually happening. Percy was going to die.