Hey. This is a long chapter. I hope you guys don't mind. The annabeth POV is followed by a Nico POV. While writing this I realized how hard it is to write. And writing well is harder but making everyone happy with your writing is even harder.
Two or Three more chapters, I guess and then I'll wrap it up. Thank you all for reading.
ANNABETH:
Annabeth stood up a little straighter.
"So", she started trying not to let her emotions reflect on her face, "What's your master plan?"
Before Porphyrion could answer she laughed and continued. "I'm sorry, I meant Gaea's plan, of course. No offense intended, its not that you're not smart enough. Its just that Gaea is kinda a control freak"
"No", Porphyrion said, a little suspicious, a little awkward. This didn't seem like the type of conversation he generally had. "This is my part and I decide how to play it. Yes, the big plan is mother's but this is mine"
He sounded like a child, to Annabeth.
"So you gonna tell me the plan?", Annabeth asked again, "You've got us now, there's no chance of us winning. It can't be of any harm"
"Why do you want to know?", Porphyrion growled. Piper hung limp from his hand.
Annabeth's stomach churned.
"I'm a daughter of Athena", she replied rolling her eyes, "Curiosity is in my nature. It would be cowardly not to tell me. You're winning anyway, why'd you care? Very soon the world would be yours to command"
Porphyrion studied her carefully, his eyes narrowed. "That is true. But all you need to know is that you're all dying"
Annabeth's heart sank. She wouldn't get information out of him.
"So who're the two demigods you've chosen?", she said, choosing her words carefully. Saying it in this way implied that Porphyrion had some power over the choice of demigods and also confirming that it was he himself who was going to raise Gaea.
Also, it was flattery which elevated the chances of getting a genuine answer.
"Well", Porphyrion started and gestured with his hands. Piper swayed and Annabeth almost cursed. "At first Mother wanted you and that son of Poseidon but Polybotes convinced her that he should have a separate revenge on him and his father"
Annabeth had to force herself to breathe. She couldn't let anger or worry cloud her mind.
"Then mother wanted the daughter of Aphrodite and this son of Jupiter but I pleaded her to let me keep the little dove as a", he stopped, searching for a word, "memento, if you please" He shook Piper in Annabeth's direction.
His glassy eyes were filled with malice and for a moment Annabeth felt fury like she had never before.
"Mother agreed that you'd make a better sacrifice than her anyway. And you and this son of Jupiter look almost like a matching pair", Porphyrion shrugged.
That must've been the last straw for Piper because in a swift motion, she had pulled out Katoptris and stabbed Porphyrion in his palm.
The move must've surprised Porphyrion more than it hurt because he dropped Piper reflexively.
Before she could crash to the floor a gust of wind caught her and landed her safely on her feet, right next to Annabeth.
"That's the best use I've ever put Katoptris to", Piper joked as searched for Jason.
Annabeth's eyes caught Jason lying among broken marble columns. It was lucky that the bigger bits of debris hadn't fallen on him.
Piper ran to him and slapped him hard.
Annabeth almost laughed, impressed.
"Hey, ugly", she called at Porphyrion. "Looks like things are about to change around here"
"You can't beat me, girl", he said calmy and tapped his huge ugly scaly feet twice and a huge golden spear shot up from the ground.
"That's what they all said", replied Annabeth with half a smirk. If she was going to do something utterly mad, she might as well look confident doing it.
Porphyrion looked angry and Annabeth was sure it wasn't one of the smartest things she'd done before. Provoking the king of the giants? Who the hell does that?
He raised his spear over his head and brought it down on Annabeth just as she pulled her drakon bone sword out.
She was sure her sword would crumble under Porphyrion's spear and she'd be a grease spot then and there.
But that moment never came.
Porphyrion's spear never touched her.
It was being held off by a bolt of electricity.
Jason floated about ten feet above ground with a dark thundering cloud over his head. His eyes were electric blue and they cackled just like the bolt that was holding Porphyrion off.
In his hand was the master bolt of the Zeus statue.
Annabeth couldn't say if she was imagining it but the bolt was starting to resemble the original masterbolt, with every passing moment.
Porphyrion laughed. "How long can you keep this up, boy?"
"As long as it takes", Jason answered sounding eerily calm.
Porphyrion must've hoped to distract Jason, because he planted his spear into the marble floor and the whole temple collapsed.
Annabeth heard herself scream. Or was it Piper?
They were falling.
Annabeth could see the ground approaching but she didn't know how she would stop herself from becoming a bloody spot on it.
Just then, she felt an arm around her waist and she wasn't falling anymore.
It was Jason. He was holding Piper on the other side and they slowly descended on the rough, earthen floor.
Great, Annabeth thought. Now we're here for a show.
"Are we at an amphitheatre?!", Piper asked a little shrilly.
"Yes", Jason said and kissed her. "Stay away now. I love you"
Piper's lips quivered. "Jason", her voice was broken. But then she recovered herself and as hard as stone, she said, "Be strong. Be brave. We can win this"
The affect was so strong that Annabeth herself could feel courage seep back into her. Along with new found confidence.
Jason smiled at her, kissed her eye brows and jogged up to Porphyrion, who stood up in a dust storm.
"Wasn't that smart of you, huh?", Annabeth called out. She held her sword in one hand, the other clenched by her side.
"Oh, but it was", Porphyrion replied, as he picked his spear up, "You don't realize where you are?"
Annabeth knew. She knew very well where they were. She had noticed Greek runes on the ground and the side walls. This was the (un)holy place where Gaea was to rise. Piper had seen it in Katoptris.
"But you don't see what you've gotten yourself into", Annabeth taunted, wondering if her confidence would pay off.
She could feel Piper shifting uncomfortably beside her.
Then she heard a distinct noise.
She turned her head to see that Frank, followed by Hazel had entered the amphitheatre.
To Frank's credit, he quickly shot an arrow that should've gone straight into Porphyrion's ear.
But the problem was that the arrow bounced back after hitting an invisible dome that protected the field in the centre.
There was anger on Frank's face, rather than disbelief.
Annabeth raised her hand to signal him that it was okay. They'd do it themselves.
But there was still one other hope.
Jason stood in front of Porphyrion. He looked so small that Annabeth was afraid for him, untill he spoke.
"So we meet yet again", he said impassively. The dark cloud had gathered above his head again, thundering with occasional lightning.
Without giving him a chance to reply, Jason launched himself at the giant, the masterbolt in his hand. He shot at Porphyrion with such force that the giant fell to the ground with a dangerous rumble that made Annabeth stagger and grabbed Piper to keep them both on their feet.
Porphyrion roared and tried to grab Jason who was now standing on his torso. But Jason was fast. He ran to Porphyrion's chest and jumped upwards. He looked like an Olympic swimmer diving.
Except he had aimed the masterbolt where Porphyrion's heart was supposed to be.
The sky rumbled dangerously, threatening to crush the earth by falling on it. The brightest and sharpest bolt of lightening Annabeth had ever seen zapped at Jason from above and lighted up the tip of the masterbolt that went through Porphyrion's armoured chest as if it was a piece of cake.
Porphyrion's last scream was horrible, as his body disinterested and the whole amphitheatre shuddered.
Before Annabeth could even start to feel a little victorious, there was a second rumble from one of the tunnels in the side of the amphitheatre and a strong wave of water knocked her off her feet.
...
NICO:
THIS IS NOT YOUR JOB.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING.
WHY ARE YOU DOING WHATEVER IT IS THAT YOU'RE DOING?
Most of the times, Nico hated that tiny voice inside his head.
Because most of the times, the voice was right.
Holding Perseus Jackson in his weakness wasn't his job.
But it felt so good to comfort him.
He was well aware of Thalia's watchful eyes burning into his back.
They had landed into an underground tunnel and there was only one way to go. Ahead.
Percy had told them that the liquid had to be somewhere in front of them because he was getting weaker by the moment, and Nico angrier and defensive.
Thalia brought up the rear silent and deadly.
Nico wondered if she would put an arrow through him. Or her spear.
After a while, the sound of water trickled through the eerie silence to their ears. When they went a little more ahead, the earthen floor of the tunnel got wet as well.
"What are you thinking, Thalia?", Percy asked. His breath tickled Nico's hair and he was pretty sure he was blushing.
Thalia didn't reply for a while. Then she started slowly, "To raise Gaea, they needed two demigods. Don't you think there needs to be a sacrifice to destroy the roots of Olympus?"
Nico's body got colder. He knew what Thalia was hinting at. He wondered if she was indirectly blaming him or waiting for him to say it aloud.
If she was, she'd get what she want. He blamed himself too.
"You know what she means, don't you?", Percy whispered to him.
"To destroy Olympus, they'd be making sure the gods had no future; none at all", he said loud enough for Thalia to hear, "A worthy sacrifice would be, from their point of view, an oracle"
To his credit, Percy understood what that meant. His silence made Nico feel guiltier. He should've never brought Rachel. What had he been thinking?
"Don't beat yourself over it", Percy said, this time not caring to whisper, "We'll find her and take her home"
Home. Nico wondered what Percy meant. Did he have a home? Was it the underworld? Was it in camp Halfblood? Was it Camp Jupiter? Was it wherever Bianca had taken rebirth? Or was it with Percy?
"Stop", he heard Percy say and his mind came back to their situation.
"What is it?", Thalia asked wearily.
"Accumulated water", Percy replied faintly. Nico gripped him harder.
Thalia grabbed Percy's other side and together, they made their way ahead.
The tunnel led into a dimly lit chamber. Where a whirlpool of water held an unconscious Rachel in it's centre.
Nico felt Percy stiffen against him. He thanked the gods that he wasn't strong enough to attack the whirlpool like a mad person.
Thalia left Percy to Nico and approached the whirlpool. "I can't use my powers", she said helpless, "Unless I want to electrocute her"
Percy couldn't do anything because he was too weak and the water made him weaker. But they didn't say that part aloud.
"I could throw the seeds in their but what if the water takes Rachel away with it?", Nico asked to no one in particular. They couldn't, on any damned day, send Rachel to Tartarus.
"I have an idea", said Thalia strangely. Her electric blue eyes seemed to be distant. "But I'm not sure how it'll work"
"We'll take anything you've got", Percy replied and Nico wanted to tell him to not be that sure.
"This water was created by the union Thoosa and Polybotes", she said uncomfortable, "Maybe that what we need to break it's hold on Rachel"
Nico saw what she was hinting at. He wanted to scream at her and tell her no. What she was demanding of them was unacceptable. He didn't know if he was scared that it wouldn't work, or that it would actually work.
Percy looked from Nico to Thalia. "I'm not sure what you mean"
Before Thalia could reply, Nico hurried with the best explanation he could come up with. "Water is your element and we're underground which is technically my strength. So, what she means is that if we can join our powers somehow, we should be able to direct the water away from Rachel and get it into the ground where the seeds would be sown so that it flows through the ground straight to Tartarus while Thalia pulls Rachel out"
Nico said all this in one breath. Percy studied Nico quietly. "Okay", he said in a deep voice that made Nico's gut ache.
He took Nico's hand in his and for a terrible moment, Nico felt that Percy would collapse without his support. But Percy didn't. He held his hands tightly and pulled him a little closer and closed his eyes.
Instinctively, Nico closed his eyes as well and found his father standing in front of him.
"What are you doing here?!", Nico asked worried.
"Guiding you", Hades replied. "Telling you what to do. You've got to admit things to yourself and clear any kinds of doubt you have about yourself. When the Seaweed does the same, the water will be in control and you'll be able to send it to Tartarus"
"I understand", Nico replied impassively.
"Are you shooing me away?", Hades asked acting indignant.
"Yes", said Nico smiling.
His father vanished with a slight smile and his eyes flew open. He stared at Percy's face, so close to his and the thoughts just came to him.
His father. Even though he had mixed feelings about his father, he knew it was the right thing. The Olympians were hard to love but that's what being a demigod was about. Overcoming hardships like losing people and loving people you didn't really like. At the end of the day, he knew his father tried hard. And he was proud.
Bianca. He had forgiven Bianca for being selfish twice. Once when she left him for the hunters and the second time when she left the underworld for rebirth and Elysium. She had always taken care of him and he understood that she had to do what she needed to do. He loved her anyway. He always would, no matter what.
His mother. At this, he almost sobbed. She was only a faint memory of his but whatever little things he had gathered about her, he kept close to his heart. Hades had told him she was proud of him and that she wanted to him to make the right decisions. Then, right decisions he would definitely make, no matter the cost.
Percy, he liked Percy. You're supposed to be admitting things. Okay, he really really liked Percy. Probably loved him because he had been the light that he needed, even though Bianca died on his watch. He had saved him so many times, he was a hero. Nico looked up to him and and he was fierce when it came to protecting Percy. He wasn't sure what his life meant but he'd make the most of it, just like Percy. But he didn't want to hurt Annabeth either, even though he wanted Percy, needed him, in many different ways ; if it meant hurting somebody to get what he wanted, he wouldn't do it.
He felt a power surge through, the kind of power of such magnitude he'd never felt. It threatened to shatter his own soul if he couldn't control it.
Percy's eyes were open as well, now, but his eyes were glassy with tears, though they didn't spill out yet. Nico's gut wrenched everytime he saw Percy like that.
He turned to find that the whirlpool had stopped and the water had curled up like a serpent, around Rachel. Thalia rushed towards her and picked her up like she didn't weigh more than a rag, pulling her out to the ground.
Nico threw the seeds onto the ground and willed the earth to open up and swallow to seeds.
Percy willed the water into the ground after the seeds and in about a few seconds, all the water had been sucked up.
"There's another problem", Percy said, grinning.
"Why're you laughing then?", Thalia asked as she held on to an unconscious Rachel.
"Because it's not such a big problem", replied Percy as he grabbed Nico and pulled him into a close embrace. Nico was really curious what Percy had admitted or accepted but there was a part of him that didn't really want to know. Had he seen his father as well? "There's gonna come a huge wave of water from ahead and blow us straight up, outside somewhere"
His face was only an inch away, his sea green eyed glittering cheekily, a smirk creeping up his face.
Nico could feel his face getting warmer and be was trying his best to push away the stupid grin that was threatening to break across his face.
"Oh gods", said Thalia tiredly but Nico didn't care.
And apparently Percy didn't either. He lowered his face, closing that one inch in a swift motion, catching Nico's surprised mouth with his own.
Percy kissed really well for someone who had been unable to stand on his own a few minutes ago.
Nico's heart burst. That ache in his gut he'd been feeling for the last few weeks had finally settled into a flutter. He felt something stronger as he put his hands into Percy's hair and held his face, the desire to own something so completely. He could feel Percy's hands on his waist when the huge wall of water hit them.
They clung together in a fierce embrace as the water pushed them upwards, towards they weren't sure what.
Nico heard people screaming as they burst above ground. The sunlight was almost blinding.
Percy was holding onto Nico by his waist, clutching his wet tshirt tightly, even after the water had receded.
A figure rose in front of them.
"Percy?", asked Annabeth as she pulled herself to her feet. She was drenched and the wind that blew was chilling, but her eyes were colder.
Okay, so this isn't over, if you were wondering. "To storm of fire the world must fall" remember? And it shall, very soon.