Chapter XXVIII ANNABETH

Annabeth thought she could have managed being held in a gigantic net. It was only when they separated them that things got really hard. It happened pretty suddenly. They had just been lying there, dozing off, when the top of the net was ripped open. A giant reached in and pulled Percy out, leaving Annabeth by herself.

Percy thrashed crazily in the giant's tight grip, screaming bloody murder. Annabeth looked around her wildly. Where were they taking him? And for what reason? Annabeth wracked her brains and could only come up with two possible answers. He was either going to be tortured or killed. Annabeth didn't know which was worse.

It turns out, Percy was put in the net right next to hers. Now she was really confused. What was the point in doing this? Well, they discovered why pretty quickly. Annabeth's net was pulled open once more and a leucrocatae was dropped in.

Leucrocatae weren't very dangerous, not in the literal sense. It wouldn't attack her. They were creatures that had a powerful jaw of bone replacing their teeth. Because of this, it can imitate human voices.

"Well," Annabeth thought,

"The worst it can possibly do is make me hear someone in pain. I think I can handle that, because I know it's not real."

But when the leucrocatae opened its mouth, it was her own voice Annabeth heard. And she was screaming in agony. She was confused about this for about five seconds. Why were they making the animal intimate her in front of her?

And then she paled as she realized. It wasn't for her, it was for Percy. And he wouldn't know it was fake, because he couldn't see the leucrocatae.

"ANNABETH?" Percy yelled.

"Percy, I'm fine!" Annabeth shouted back.

"Don't listen, it's not real!"

But her warning was drowned out by her own cries of pain.

Percy was throwing himself against the sides of his net, trying vainly to escape. He was going to knock himself out soon, and that would be no help to anyone. Now the leucrocatae was being just plain cruel. It was imitating Annabeth desperately calling Percy's name, begging him for help.

"Percy," it rasped.

'Percy, please! Help me, Seaweed Brain!"

Annabeth could hear Percy crying, and that was almost enough to make her heart split in two. The leucrocatae gave another piercing scream and then it said,

"I knew you were useless. Why would I, a gifted daughter of Athena, ever settle for you, the mistake of a child, a demigod who never should have been born?"

Annabeth's breath caught as she heard this. She would never, not in a millennium, say that to Percy. But it was obviously something he feared her of saying. Why else would they torture him with it?

Annabeth was thrown to the side as she felt the net dance beneath her feet. She was stumbling around like crazy, trying to regain her balance in shifting sands. The dirt was cracking, leaving massive lines all over it. Annabeth distantly heard the roar of a wave and then the ground just dropped out from underneath her.

Percy dashed to her side, turning her over on her back.

"You okay?" he asked urgently, eyes quickly flitting up and down her form.

"F-fine." Annabeth panted, heaving herself up.

"How'd we get out?"

Percy blushed, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I think I might have caused a tsunami." he muttered.

Annabeth threw her arms around him.

"Whatever you did, you're the best, you know that?"

And then they ran.

Annabeth found it amazing how so many monsters could just magically pop out of nowhere. One second, they wouldn't be anywhere around and then BOOM! Monster party! The couple ran even faster, when Percy suddenly stopped short.

"Wise Girl, look what's up there."

Up above them was two gigantic doors, standing on what seemed to be millions of steps. They ran to the first and then started climbing, helping each other along the way.

Annabeth's chest felt like it was going to explode if she went any faster. Monsters were right on their heels, literally snapping at their ankles. Percy pulled Annabeth up a step as a Stymphalian bird squawked at her, clapping its beak together in glee.

"Not my girlfriend, Tweety Bird." Percy spat, kicking it.

After what seemed to be hours later, they reached the top. Annabeth looked at Percy and said,

"We're probably in for the fight of our lives right now, since we'll just have to wait here until the others arrive on the other side."

Percy nodded, and then said quietly,

"While we have a single moment of peace, there's something I've wanted to ask you for awhile now, since New Rome, in fact. Actually, if I'm entirely honest, way before New Rome."

Annabeth looked at him, raising her eyebrows. What could he possibly want? Percy cleared his throat awkwardly and then said,

"Wise Girl- I'm sorry if i'm about to do this wrong but-"

The first monster had arrived. Percy groaned and swore under his breath.

"You have got to be joking."

Percy pulled out Riptide and whirled around, slicing a monster through its stomach. Annabeth turned to the right and stabbed a demon in the back.

"I still have a question to ask you!" he cried.

"Now is not the time, Percy!" she replied loudly.

"Yes it is! Because-"

He paused to pull Annabeth out of the way of an incoming empousai and then attacked it.

"Because who knows if I'll get the chance again? So, please listen!"

"I'm otherwise engaged at the moment, Seaweed Brain!" she shouted as she parried off a monster's claws with her knife.

"Yes! Engaged! That's what I'm trying-"

Annabeth used Percy's back as a springboard and hopped onto an demon, holding on piggy-back style. As she sliced off its head, Percy pulled her back down.

"That's what I'm trying to ask you!" he said as she darted past him.

"WHAT?" Annabeth yelled.

Percy gritted his teeth in frustration, whirled her around to face him and fell to his knees. For one terrifying moment, Annabeth thought he was wounded, so she flew to his side. But Percy pushed her back up, keeping a tight grip on her left hand.

"Marry me, Wise Girl?" he yelled above the din of the fighting,

"I want you to marry me!"

Before Annabeth could contemplate this, the ground above them split open, displaying the beautiful light of day.