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Sacrifice
My heart pounded in my chest as I lowered the pen to the paper of my letter with a shaky hand. I had been told that I was allowed to write a letter to my mother, to tell her that I loved her before my next task. But what was I to say?
Dear Mom,
I'm alright. Everything will be okay.
I scratched it out. Lies. Those were filthy, dirty lies and I hated myself for even considering writing them to her. I cast the sheet aside, then picked up another piece and tried again.
Dear Mom,
I don't know what to say. I know that I have put you and Paul through terrible pain and I am sorry. I just want you to know that I love you both and that I have only done what was required of me for your survival, the gods', and camp's.
I betrayed the gods. There is no way to get around that point: it is as true and real as the paper that I am writing on. I have been allowed to write one letter to you to tell you that I love you before I join bodies with Kronos. By the time you read this, we will probably already be one. I'm not trying to scare you, only tell you what you need to know.
I'm sorry that I can't be there for the wedding. I wanted to hand you off to Paul like I should. I hope that you two live long and happy lives. You deserve each other.
Please tell Chiron to tell Tyson not to worry about me, to stay in the forges for the war. I can't lose my baby brother. Tell Chiron what I have told you: that I only did what I had to do. I'm mailing a letter for Annabeth with yours. Please, please, please make sure that she gets it. Deliver it to no hands but hers. If she is not alive to get it, than burn it.
I love you, mom, but I have to go now. Don't ever forget that I love you and never meant to hurt you. I only wanted you to be safe and happy.
Love,
Percy
I lifted my hand from the page. There were smudges of black ink in places from the tears that I had shed. I would miss my mother and Paul. And everyone else and I was not afraid to admit it. I was terrified of what I was about to do. If the River Styx laid one hand on any of my family, especially Annabeth….
Annabeth.
What was I to say to her? I had hurt her the worse, and I knew it.
There was a knock on the door and Luke's voice wafted in through the thick metal. "Percy? Are you ready?"
"Almost, just let me finish up real quick!"
I lowered my pen to the paper and began my letter to Annabeth.
………………….
I sealed up the two letters and handed them to the messenger.
"See to it that this gets to my mother before nightfall," I commanded.
"Yes, sir!" He strode off.
I wished that I had had time to write individual letters to Grover and Tyson, too, but there hadn't been enough time.
"Come on," Luke said. "Time to see the prisoner."
"Let's go," I said as we walked toward the dungeons. I had yet to deliver my punishment on the son of Apollo who had defied my orders.
We stopped in front of a cell that held a blond, cowering half blood in it. He didn't look up at our approach.
"What is your name?" I asked.
"Alex, sir."
"Alex… Well, Alex, you have defied my orders and therefore must be punished."
"Yes, sir," His voice was a hoarse whisper, barely audible in the dimly lit dungeon.
"You will stay in this cell for one month, then you will rejoin your regiment, after being demoted to a private."
He looked up, surprise in his eyes. The punishment for defying orders was usually death, and he obviously didn't understand where my mercy had come from.
I nodded once, and then walked out with Luke close behind.
"You know that you'll pay for your leniency," he informed me.
"Yes, I know."
He nodded, knowing there was nothing that he could do.
We stopped before the large, gilded doors to the throne room.
"Are you ready?" Luke asked.
No! I shouted in my mind while I said calmly, "As ready as I'll ever be."
"It hurts like Hades, Percy, but only for a few hours."
Luke had been coaching me on what to expect when I became Kronos' new host. It didn't actually require me to die, just to make my heart stop beating. That really cleared it up, huh? He also told me that I would be able to share only the thoughts I wanted to with Kronos, so he couldn't get any information on mine and Luke's betrayal.
The doors opened and we walked in, bowing before the large coffin. We straightened.
"Ah," Kronos sighed, "It is time, Perseus. Come forward."
I walked to the open sarcophagus, as black mist swirled out of it, casting a dark fog in the room: it was the unassembled bits and pieces of Kronos.
I climbed in to the coffin and laid down, closing my eyes. The first thing I felt was the numbing sensation. It started in the tips of my toes and fingers, and at the crown of my head, spreading slowly so that it eventually submerged my whole body.
All the while, I felt my heart slowing. Each pump took just a little longer than the last, was just a little more strained.
Then it stopped. My entire body went from being numb to being shrouded in a blanket of fiery pain.
I didn't- couldn't- scream. I had no control of my body, and I could neither scream nor move. I was paralyzed.
………………
Annabeth stared at Sally Jackson from where they stood on the top of Half-Blood Hill. Percy had written her a letter? Annabeth looked at Sally whose eyes were bloodshot and had trembling hands.
Annabeth accepted the small, sealed envelope, wondering what it could possibly contain.
……………………..
There was a single light in the Athena cabin that night. It was still on long after all the other campers had drifted into worried sleep, having nightmares of war.
Annabeth sat on her bunk in the shallow ring of light, her honey-blond hair turned golden as she irritably pushed it behind her ears as she read the slip of parchment.
Annabeth,
I have no excuses and I have but one regret. By the time you read this, I will already be Kronos' new host. I want you to know that I have only done all this so that you and camp will be safe.
I have a plan, which is why I went into the Labyrinth to begin with. I had to get a weapon. It is the most powerful thing that Daedalus has ever built. You will find what I am talking about under the file I hacked. The password is Icarus. I can't believe that you never figured that out. I guess that it was too obvious. Don't look at it yet! I have to tell you something else.
Nothing I said to you was a lie. I love you, Annabeth. And I wish that I could spend the rest of my life with you like I wanted too. But that's not possible now.
Tears fell from Annabeth's eyes.
I love you and always will. Nothing will ever change that and I'm so, so sorry that I have hurt you. I never meant to. Never wanted to. It still pains me to think of what I have done to you and I'm sorry.
You were right about one thing: Luke isn't evil. At least, not any more. I can't believe that I'm saying this, but, we're the best of friends now. We have been working together to overthrow Kronos. We have made more progress than I could have ever hoped for.
The next time I see you, Annabeth, I will be Kronos and we will be at war. We will be coming in from the direction of Thalia's pine, but keep a few lookouts in the woods and by the sound, just in case Kronos changes his plans.
The next time I see you will be the last. I won't survive this, Annabeth. I just want you to know that I love you and nothing will ever change that.
Tell Grover and Tyson and Chiron and everyone else that I'm sorry. I only did what I had to do.
My one regret is that I cannot tell you this in person.
I love you,
Percy.
A torrent of tears spilled from Annabeth's eyes and her body was racked with sobs. He loved her. He had joined Kronos to save her. He was probably already one with him.
Annabeth counted. He had said that he loved her. Four times. Her heart gave a little jolt every time she stumbled upon that word.
Should she tell Chiron about what he said about them attacking? She decided she should. Annabeth slipped on her shoes and silently snuck out of the cabin. She tore across camp to the Big House.
A/N: Sorry that it took so long to get up, you guys. There aren't very many chapters left. I'm going for five or six more. Thankyou to all of my wonderful reviewers!!!! I love you all.