Shadow of Myself

Chapter 3: Consguenze (Consequences)

Chiron~

I worry for Percy. When I sent those three out looking for the missing demigods I was surprised by what they brought back. They brought back Percy and some very horrible news as well. All the other missing demigods are dead. Poor Thalia, she is going to be so heartbroken when I tell her the news about her brother. She'll be even more heartbroken when I tell her what is going to happen to her cousin.

Percy is dying. I have done my best, but there are limits to what a god can heal. It is a complete miracle that he has held on this long. There is a small chance that he might pull through but I doubt it. Why does this always happen to the best Heroes?

Why?

I clopped slowly back into the camp infirmary. He lies there silently on the bed. The only indication that he still lives is the slow rise and fall of his chest. I stand mournfully over him, wondering. Is today the day he draws his last breath? Is today the day I tell Sally that her son is never coming home?

Annabeth comes here each day. She worries for him. When he disappeared six months ago she cried for the first week when there wasn't even a whisper of where he might be. I had to bar her from the quest sent out to find any of the missing demigods for fear of what she might find. I'm glad I did.

Two weeks after he went missing and it was confirmed that the one of the gods didn't take him, she threw herself into her training. She trained and studied every hour that she was awake. Four weeks after Percy went missing she confided to me of the dreams she'd have. Sometimes she see him scratching something on the inside of a cage. Other times she see nothing but hear his screams.

It broke my heart to see the air of defeat around her when four months had past with no sign or rumor of where he disappeared to. Her dull routine answers made the atmosphere of camp even gloomier. By the time the fifth month rolled around she couldn't even drudge up the facade she had been using since he went missing.

I hope he survives.

Annabeth~

I watch silently as Chiron leaves the infirmary. When he is out of sight I slip inside. Percy is there. My heart sighs with relief when I see his chest rise and fall. He is still alive. Everyday I contact Sally. Every time she sighs with relief when I say still alive.

It has been four days since Gwen brought him back to us on Blackjack's back, barely clinging to life. Also it has been four days since I nearly gutted that arrogant child of Zeus, Andrew Hayes, for his comment about Percy.

I won't admit it to anyone, but I'm scared.

Almost all the demigods from the titan war are dead. Percy and I are all that remain for the Greeks. Camp Jupiter was forced to elect two emergency Praetors for the two that went missing and that are now confirmed dead. Everyone is on edge now. Both the auger and our oracle have been confirmed dead.

I'm startled out of my thoughts when I here a soft noise. I look up in time to see Percy shift and open his eyes. My heart flutters when he blinks several times but stays awake. Part of me wants to run and tell Chiron, but I force myself to wait. His eyes wander around warily and then focus on me. Recognition flashes through them and he gives me a weak smile.

"Hey Wise Girl", he croaks.

I smile back at him. "Hey yourself Seaweed Brain." I grab his hand and squeeze it gently.

He looks around again and asks me, "Camp?"

I nod.

He turns his focus back to me. "How . . .?" He asks softly.

I gently run my thumb over the back of his hand and reply, "My sister, Jenny, as well as Gwen and Grover found you." Then I admitted quietly, "I was scared you were going to die. When Gwen landed in the middle of camp with you, I saw you and you were so thin. What happened to you?"

He replies without looking at me. "I was experimented on. A lot of my memories are blurry."

My heart twinges with pain. Poor Percy. I gently stroke his hair and softly murmur, "Sleep. You need to rest."

His eyelids flutter shut. With a quiet exhale he slips back into the realm of Morpheus. I continue to stroke his hair admiring the mystical fact that it is some how still silky in spite of everything that has happened recently. Instead of going straight to Chiron, I examine him to see what those people did to him.

The obvious is that he still has a winter defying tan. A closer examination reveals that it is flawless. There are almost no cracks that mark skin imperfections. With a chill I realize that it looks a lot like an insect's carapace. I tear my hands away from his silky hair and pick up one of his hands. His palm is much smaller. In fact his whole hand has been streamlined. I squeeze the tip of one of his fingers idly. I observe the next few moments in stunned silence.

He has claws now. Retractable claws. Holy Zeus, I barely keep from murmuring that. His claws are rather weird. They have barbs on the inside. His teeth seem normal. There are also ridges next to his shoulder blades. Almost like wings I realize with dread. With a start I noticed the weirdest thing yet.

Little iridescent antennae that were hidden by his long shaggy hair. They had these feathery prongs much like those found on a Luna Moth. I wonder if Chiron knows? If he doesn't I am not telling him. Well I guess it's time to tell him that Percy woke up.

He'll be happy.

I wonder though.

Will Percy go through some kind of cycle that an insect goes through? I also wonder idly if anything new might happen that will explain why he and the other demigods were kidnapped.

Oh well. I'll ponder this later. First tell Chiron the news then sleep.

This concludes chapter 3.

Chapter 4 you will find out some really interesting things.

I am not going to spoil it. You'll have to be patient.

Nightshade