Happy Holidays!
Third Person POV:
Zoë's hand had its own battle as it is conflicted to either dangle by her side or to continue gently caressing Percy's teary face.I saw myself. And I was killing you.
"You... You what?" She whispers, completely and utterly lost for words. While she was always recognized for her sharp wit and Athena-like thoughts, she wouldn't be able to answer what 2+2 is in this very moment. Percy takes this moment to distance himself as far from Zoë as the sharp cave could allow, his breaths becoming labored from the slight use of his weaning strength.
The silence within the cave couldn't have been thicker. Both of them can even hear the insane giggle of Lilith bouncing off the walls, while soft it sounds as if a trailer truck is honking its horn right next to the distraught couple.
"I-I don't know." He stumbles for words, his tongue suddenly too big for his mouth. The cave seems to be closing in on him, just like his world. It was all starting to come together and then a whole new load of absolute shit had to be thrown in his way.
Before Zoë can even climb to her feet, Percy presses himself closer to the wall, as if he could melt into it. The sharp rock presses into the small of his back, his old Achilles heel. The slight burn of pain helps distract him from the sharp, vivid images that dance along his mind.
"D-Don't! Please don't!" He cries in sudden desperation. Zoë freezes, her motive to hold him slowly growing more and more at the sight of the panic in his eyes. She never thought she'd see the day when she was so compelled to kiss a boy till the end of time.
And now is that time.
"Percy," she whispers, trying her best to fight off the wild beating of her heart as she inched closer to him. "Percy listen to me. This is the future we are talking about. This could be days away, months away, even years. No one can be sure of what they see. But I do know one thing, it's that the future can change if you try hard enough.
"Pushing yourself away will not help, Percy. Perseus look at me, not at your feet. This is what he wanted, is it not? For you to drive yourself mad of the thought of you killing me. How do we know he didn't meddle with your mind, replaying a nightmare rather than the actual truth? What if it was you killing him rather than me." By this point, Zoë has her hands gently touching the sharp outlines of his face. From his jaw to his lips to his nose, her fingers slowly trace his features in a futile attempt to convince him that everything will be okay.
"B-But it felt s-soreal." He whispers, refusing to meet her onyx hued eyes.
Slowly lowering herself in front of him, Zoë's hands finally rest upon his shoulders, her thumbs brushing against his collarbone and her thin fingers lightly tapping against his shoulder blades. "That's what's sealing the deal. So that you are so utterly and completely sure that this is your fate." She whispers, pouring in all her love and affection for this man, internally pleading he sees what she sees.
She doesn't only love him for being her best friend, but she loves his fierce loyalty. She loves how no matter how useless the attempt may be, he'll risk everything for another's life, forgetting his own entirely. The way he'll stop at nothing to make sure everyone on his team makes it out unscathed, even if it meant his own demise. She could see why so many fell for him.
And she could see why so many were left in the dust.
Once Percy Jackson fell in love, nothing could waver his heart's burning passion. It would have to be his undoing that could crumble the love itself. She was lucky that, even in slowly stitching rips, she was the recipient of his heart. That she would be the one to receive those brief soft looks in his eyes, that she would feel the small squeezes of the hand in moments when he was scared himself, that she would be the one he would say, "I love you" to.
So in moments like this, she would never give up. She would never let him drift away, because she knew he wouldn't be able to function without love. Zoë would know since she remembers when he was first initiated. The way his eyes glazed over whenever someone asked him about Camp or question how he was gave Zoë a brief insight into who he was in the midst of the haze of heartbreak.
She never wanted to see him like that again.
Finally Percy gives in, wrapping his arms around Zoë and burying his head in her shoulders. He's trembling more than an autumn leaf caught in a brisk wind. The two of them continue on through their time together clinging on like their life depended on it, praying that someone would come soon. Praying that someone would take them away from this impenetrable hell once and for all.
*.***.***.***.* Meanwhile *.***.***.***.*
"GAHHH!" Silena screeches, her usually gentle deep blue eyes turning the color of Hell's flames. Almost everyone steps away from the furious Counselor, some even run out in pure terror. The Athena kids all pause as they see their main strategizer go ballistic, it was not a good time for that as the plans are finally becoming concrete. One is wise enough to calmly leave to find Beckendorf. But once the camper is out of sight of Silena, he begins to pick up pace as he sprints to where he hopes the husband of the furious Counselor is.
He is standing with a few campers, who seem weak and frail in comparison to all of Beckendorf's glory. His dark brown skin glimmers with sweat beneath the warm sun, though he seems right in his element with a hammer in his hand, demonstrating how to beat a sheet of Olympian silver without breaking it in half. Though he slowly stops talking one he senses a nervous energy. He arises from his slouching position and faces the son of Athena.
"How can I help you, Malcolm?" He asks simply, his deep gravely voice oddly captivating.
Malcolm scowls, not particularly enjoying the way his old friend addresses him. But alas, it is not something he wants to bring up in that moment. "It would be your wife that needs the help, she seems to be going through a meltdown." He says calmly, though the gruff Counselor did not wait until he was done speaking before he presses the hammer into the hands of one of the campers he was teaching and walking in a brisk pace to where his wife is. As he shoves through the crowd, he catches sight of something that warms his worried soul.
Aerin has Silena sitting in a chair, taking a deep breaths as she explains something to the red head. While her expression is stony as usual, her harsh silver eyes have melted to look as if they were orbs of quicksilver, a tender look in them.
Beckedorf walks over, crouching beside the chair as he looks at the both of them, gently clasping Silena's hand. Her delicate calloused fingers brush over the back of his hand, which calms them both down.
"What happened?" He asks, leaving the question open for either of them to answer.
Silena momentarily closes her eyes, her dark eyelashes brush against her high cheekbones. "I just can't stop thinking about while we are here, in absolute safety and luxury, two of our own are hurting and going through such a painful experience. What if they're crying for our help right now?!" She exclaims hysterically. Beckendorf sighs sorrowfully as he rubs her back in an attempt to calm her down.
"They won't give up, we've known Percy and Zoë far too long to know they are both as stubborn as mules. No way would they let one another give up." He says reassuringly. Beckedorf wasn't all that good at beating around the bush when comforting someone. That's what made Silena love him more, the fact that he voiced his thoughts clearly and without a shred of uncertainty.
He places a soft kiss upon her temple, and her eyes slowly shift from a feisty red, to a dark lavender until returning to their cerulean blue. She sighs a little, taking in a breath to calm herself as she rises from the chair and looks at Beckendorf and Aerin, who had not said a thing since Beckendorf came.
The campers feel a change in mood since they slowly walk back to where they were working. But the plans are made and strategies are set. So none dare to move to Silena to tell her, but rather hope Oblivion suddenly stops meditating in hopes of catching Percy in a brief period of unconsciousness and comes to work with Silena. But their prayers fall short as they all see her calm eyes wash over them, causing them to all freeze. Beckendorf and Aerin leave to go spread the word, the word that Silena has been ready to say ever since they caught whiff of Zoë and Percy's whereabouts.
Her fingers trace along the finalized maps, the finalized directions for all squadrents. "Prepare for battle. We're going to retrieve our fellow soldiers."
*.*...*.*
Oblivion gasps as she rises from her perch inside the Oracle cave, reeling from the sudden image that invaded her mind. The cackling of Order plagued her ears and fueled her rage as she quickly teleports to where she hopes is her dearest allies.
Instead of arriving at the pavilion she tumbles out of midair and crashes onto the rough foliage below. What would have been a simple fix with the snap of her fingers, she can barely even move her fingers without feeling both extreme pain and exhaustion. She tries to cry out for help, but her throat feels as if it is coated in sand. Her movements are sluggish as she feebly tries to crawl, grasping onto roots to drag herself up. It seems impossible that something as simple as a teleportation could drain her of all her reserves of energy. Unless-
A leather boot stomps on her wrist, forcing her down. She tries to look up, but her energy for some strange reason is sapping away quicker than water flowing through a dam. The boot that had nearly shattered her wrist kicks her in the face in an attempt to make her look up. Pain flares in her jaw and neck as her head is snapped upwards. A face peers down at her, his milky white eyes looking too familiar. But the rest of the face reminds Oblivion of that young man Thalia had brought to camp not too long ago.
"Did you think it would be that easy to get away from me, my dearest?" He asks, not a hint of the Russian accent he has detectable, but rather a voice Oblivion is far too familiar with. A malicious sneer twists his mouth at the look of absolute horror on her beautiful face. He reaches forward and presses his thin forefinger against her forehead. "You were always meant to escape my love, it was always your weak mind that make my plans achievable." He hisses in her ear as the swirls of gold and ivory on her arms turn to the shade of the night sky with streaks of white. Her golden eyes disappear, along with all her warmth and serenity. And in their wake is a translucent white and an icy glare.
"Burn them to the ground." He growls like a wild animal, his form flickering slightly to show his true form.
Oblivion rises from the ground, her expression dead and the plants around her losing life as she slowly walks towards the camp, sparks dancing along her fingertips.
*.*...*.*
*ducks behind the Great Wall of China to hide from pitchforks and tomatoes* I know you're mad.
Trust me, I am as well. I'm fucking livid that I've been gone this long.
You wanna know what makes it worse?
I was planned on posting this chapter the day my world came crashing down around me. Like holy shit!
Okay I do have to admit, maybe it was for the best. I've been working on this chapter ever since and I'm pretty proud of it. I just wish y'all could've seen it sooner.
Y'all keep on PMing me, demanding to know where I went and when I'd update. All I wanted to do was like scream at the top of my fucking lungs, "IM HERE! IM HERE YOU AMAZINGLY SADIST PEOPLE." It actually hurt being away from you guys for so long.
I'm not going to hide behind excuses. I'm not going to plead for forgiveness. Lay it out on me, I deserve it.
I'm sorry.
I'm so fucking sorry like it hurts me so much and I'm pretty sure y'all just gave up on me updating and moved on with your awesome lives. But if you're still here, I love you. Like honestly.
Bye bye,
AEDTFI