XXIII

PANDA

I'd never been so happy to see a goddess, despite the fact that most wanted me dead.

"LOOK WHAT YOU DID! YOU RUINED IT!" she yelled, before she thrust her hand and Laelaps burst into a bunch of snowflakes. "And it looked so nice," she said lower. She turned he furious eyes on me.

"YOU! What do you want? Haven't you caused enough trouble?"

"I'm sorry about your temple, but we need your help, Hecate," I said, ignoring her sarcasm.

"And why would I want to help you?" she said, eyeing me suspiciously.

"Don't think about it as helping me, think about it as helping, uh… the world?" I said. She walked towards me, but her footsteps didn't even seem to touch the ground as her brown dress flowed behind her.

"You must be very ignorant if you think you can fix something like this," she said lowly.

"I'm not ignorant!" I defended myself. "But you're a goddess, you can do anything, right?"

"You flatter me, Pandora," she said, as she turned away. "But this… I can't fix."

"I'll give you anything!" I added quickly, desperate for a solution.

"Panda," Percy mumbled crossly. I shot an annoyed glance at him. He didn't understand.

"Anything you want, Hecate. Just ask," I said, my voice dripping with honesty. She turned her head and looked at me.

"What do you expect me to do, Panda?" she said, genuinely curious about my plea.

"Turn back time, so I can undo what I did," I said.

"That I can't, Panda. Not even I mess with fate," she said.

"How can this be fate?!" I said, my voice getting unintentionally high. "Fate wanted Zeus murdered? Is that what you're saying?" She turned in a flash and was only inches away from my face with some kind of glitter fluttering up around her.

"I don't know what fate wants, but I have no right to mess with it."

"So, in other words, you wouldn't help Zeus," I dared to say. A dangerous aura burst around her.

"I've tolerated you enough, Pandora. The only reason I haven't killed you where you stand is because you are still technically in my temple, but I could always make an exception," she said softly, though the threat was loud and clear. I stared her down, refusing to leave without a solution.

"Panda, let's go," Percy said, as he came up behind me and grabbed my hand. "Come on," he said as he gently tugged me away from the furious goddess. All three of us sullenly walked back out. Anger was boiling inside me like lava.

How could she not help? And was this about fate? What was I going to do now? I was so angry I grabbed a rock and threw it farther than I've ever thrown anything, before I started kicking and grunting. Percy touched my shoulder.

"Panda, it's okay."

"Okay? Okay?! Nothing's okay Percy! I couldn't fix it! What are we going to do now?!" I yelled. I felt bad about taking it out on Percy, but I was so angry I could barely control myself. Nico sat at the base of the tree, his expression unreadable.

"We can still fix this," he pressed.

"How?!"

"I don't know, but we'll figure it out. We always do," he said. I turned away, walking back and forth, agitated. He frowned.

"What if this time we can't figure it out? What if this time we don't win?" I said, half out loud, half to myself as I walked back and forth. "What if –" I stopped in my tracks.

"What if what?" Percy ventured. My stomach started turning and I felt like I was about to puke. I looked at Percy.

"Do me a favor, Percy. Set up camp over there," I said, pointing at a small strip of wood. "I'll be right back." I walked passed him.

"Wait, where are you going?"

"I'll tell you later!" I yelled back, as I stomped away. I started focusing my thoughts on one thing. I walked into the small town and down a small alley.

"Athena!" I yelled. Before another second ticked by, there was a flash and there she was, with the same snobby look.

"You rang?"

"Okay, what's your plan?" I asked, getting straight to the point.

"My plan?"

"Yes. I know you're trying to stop me from fixing this, what I don't know is why."

"Open your eyes Panda. You can't fix this. You never could," she said.

"And how would you know?!"

"Because I've tried," she answered coolly. She walked closer to me. "This is the one fight you can't win. And you lose every minute you lose focus on the prize," she said, as if she was trying to imply something. She confused me. What was she talking about?

"What are you talking about?" I asked, taking a step back.

"I don't want you dead yet, Panda," she said. "I want you to suffer. I want your heart to break like mine did."

"Wouldn't you need a heart first?"

"You're missing the point, Panda," she said, an evil smile creeping up onto her face. What was she- a lump formed in my throat and my heart started to race. I knew what she meant now. A full fledged smile spread on her face when she knew I'd gotten the message.

"No…" I whispered as I started to back away.

"Better hurry," she said as she disappeared. I turned tail and ran as fast as I could. I had to get there in time. Please, dad let me get there in time! My feet thundered on the pavement as I pushed on, despite the burning sensations in my muscles. I skidded into the woods and searched frantically for Percy and Nico.

"PERCY! NICO!"

"Over here!" Nico answered. Breathing heavily, I ran towards the sound of his voice. I rounded a tree and tumbled into him, taking us both to the ground.

"Ow! No need to attack me!" Nico complained. I jumped up, ignoring his comment. I looked around, but I couldn't see him. I grabbed Nico by the shirt.

"Where is Percy?!" I almost yelled into his face.

"He went to get some water. There's a well over there," he said as he pointed to his right. I dropped him and ran in the direction screaming his name.

"Percy! PERCY! Where are you?!" I yelled frantically and I started to feel hopeless. "Percy!"

"I'm here!" I heard his voice. My heart skipped a beat. He's okay. I ran towards him to see him holding up two water bottles. "Just getting some water," he said. I sighed in relief, my chest hurting from the scare. I was walking towards him when I heard something rustle. I froze. I scanned the woods. Something silver flashed. Hunters!

"PERCY!" I screamed, but it was too late. The smile he had been wearing faded. Protruding from his chest was the tip of an arrow. The water bottles fell, soaking the ground. I ran forward and caught him before he hit the ground.

"Percy, Percy, are you okay?" I said as I cradled him on my lap. Tears started rolling down my face. A line of blood slid down his cheek as his t-shirt slowly turned red.

"Percy!" I cried, as I put a hand around the arrow to try and stop the blood flow.

"Panda?" he breathed.

"It's going to be okay, don't worry. You're going to be okay," I said, my cheeks drenched in tears as I tried to keep him from bleeding out. His blood soaked between my fingers.

"No, no, no, no, no," I whimpered. My hands and lips trembled. Percy raised his hand and touched my cheek.

"I'm… sorry…" he whispered.

"No! DON'T LEAVE ME PERCY!" I yelled, as I shook him. "Stay awake, stay awake," I said, moving his hair out of his face. "I won't let you leave me!" I cried. I was choking on my sobs as my heart tightened.

"I love you, Panda," he whispered, before his eyes closed and his hand slid down my face.

"Percy, you can't leave me! Please! I don't want you to go! Please! Don't go!" my cries getting desperate.

"PERCY! Percy no!" I cried out. I bawled as I lowered my head and set it on his non-moving chest. "Percy no," I whimpered. My heart was breaking into a million pieces and my throat felt so constricted I could barely breathe properly. "I love you too," I whispered, before I broke down again. Percy was gone. My brother was dead.

So, I hope this chapter came out well. We're close to the end guys... Tell me what you guys think :) Be honest!