Ch12
Annabeth's last few moments in camp replayed in her head while she slept. She was waiting for Luke but he was taking so long so she decided to search for him thinking something must have happened.
However, she was surprised to see Luke forced down to his knees and being held at sword point by the sons of Poseidon. "Run Annabeth!" Luke screamed his gaze wide with panic. "They are going to kill me run!"
Her movements were quick, she herself wasn't thinking straight when she plunged her knife into Percy's stomach and went to help Luke. All she wanted to do was to help the person that was like family to her.
She wanted to yell, to ask what the hell was going on but Luke quickly grabbed her and ran while Percy fell to his knees clutching his wound as something lunged at him from the ground.
"Why are we running?" she asked Luke as she turned back to see Percy collapsed on the ground and Chris screaming curses at them.
"I'll explain later lets go!" Luke yelled as he pulled her into the woods. She turned around and that was when she saw the water come at them.
She screamed as the water pierced her back, it was like a series of sharp needles that pierced her skin. "Annabeth!" Luke screamed as he helped her up.
Her vision became blurry as Luke took her arm around her shoulder. "Luke lets go back," she said her voice becoming slurred as her heart pounded in her chest. "Percy needs to see Chiron."
Luke didn't answer, he didn't say anything as they approached a dark void in front of them. It may have been her blurry vision but she swore she saw a circular portal open. Luke gripped her tightly as they ran through it. A cold sensation pressed against her as if she were getting shoved through a freezer. Eventually, she passed out.
She wanted to scream, "Annabeth its ok!" Luke said his grip around her the only thing warm thing she could feel. "Trust me it'll be ok," he said calmly as she lost consciousness.
"Don't worry child you are safe here," a smooth cold voice said. The voice reverberated in her head as she slowly regained consciousness, "Luke said you would be a valuable help. Soon you shall serve me just as he does."
There was something about that voice that sent shivers down her entire body. She didn't know what to say, its presence was so powerful much more than anything she had felt before. The few times she opened her eyes she saw what looked like the room of a cruise ship.
She would occasionally see Luke sitting next to her with a worried expression on his face as he fed ambrosia into her mouth. "It's alright Annabeth we are safe here," he would say. "I'll always take care of you."
Occasionally she would see another woman in the room. She had an unearthly glow and carried a torch in her hands, her presence reminded her of her mother except she swore she saw multiple faces on her head. Luke would occasionally talk to her, was she a friend of his?
When she fully awoke she looked around and saw Luke resting on a couch in the room. "Where am I?" She muttered as she sat up and winced at the pain in her back as she slowly sat up in her bed. Scanning her surroundings she looked around the room, her bag was at the foot of her bed the rest of the room was furnished nicely. Where am I? How could look afford such a nice room?
"Annabeth you're awake!" Luke said causing her to nearly jump out of the bed.
She turned around and was about to ask a million questions that melted away as he hugged her. "I'm glad you are safe," he said as he held her tightly.
"Th-Thanks Luke," She said feeling as if a cage of butterflies had been released inside of her. No I have to focus. "Luke where are-"
"Not now just focus on resting," Luke said as he gave her a bottle of water from the mini fridge in her room.
She nodded and drank the cool water, it was refreshing and soothed her aching throat. "Luke what was going on between you and the sons of Poseidon?" She asked as she set the bottle on her nightstand.
Luke sighed as he sat down next to her, "We had an altercation." His expression was tight, his blue eyes were tired as they darted her around the room. Deep down her instincts were telling her something wasn't right.
"What do you mean?" She asked.
Luke sighed, "They took your baseball cap and I tried to take it back."
She stared at him in disbelief. "What do you mean? Why would they take it?" The answer was so surprising she didn't really believe it. Chris seems like an ass but Percy he doesn't seem like the person who would steal.
"They wanted more help on their quest and Chris and Percy thought they could impress their father by taking it," Luke said avoiding her gaze. "I heard Chris brag about it and confronted both of them. They accused me of lying and when I tried to stop them they overpowered me."
Luke clenched his fists and glared down at her bed, "Annabeth had you not saved me they would've killed me."
"What do you mean? That's crazy," she said staring at Luke in shock. But the memory was still etched in her head. Percy and Chris were restraining Luke and had swords pointed at him, ready to do who knows what.
"I know but you saw it yourself," Luke said looking at her his gaze seemed much colder than before. "They wanted to end me. Both of them want to make camp their own turf and saw me as a threat."
She stared at Luke in disbelief, his words sounded so farfetched. Even if she didn't know the sons of Poseidon well they didn't seem like power hungry killers. Alarm bells were ringing in her head but all should think about was the way Luke smiled at her.
"Annabeth thank you for saving me," Luke said looking her in the eyes. "I wouldn't have wanted to die in such a fashion."
"N-No problem," she said struggling to get the words out of her mouth. She shook her head, "Luke we have to go back to camp, Percy he must be hurt. I'm sure Chiron will work things out."
Luke avoided her gaze. His body tensed up as he stood up. "We can't return back to camp. Sorry but we are already out at sea in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean."
"Wait what?" She said taken aback by Luke's tone. "What do you mean we are in the middle of the ocean?"
Luke sighed, "Annabeth remember how I said I got a new job? This is my job," he said indicating to the ship around them. "We can't go back now."
"What do you mean?" She asked in surprise. "Luke what's going on?" Something wasn't right, she could feel it. Luke's demeanor was different, a dark expression crossed his face but before he could answer the door opened and a woman entered.
She had dark black hair and her very presence made the hairs on her neck stand up. "Glad to see your friend is awake," she said coolly. "We should take him to see our lord."
Luke got up and bowed to her, "Yes Lady Hecate I'll take her there right away."
Hecate as in the goddess of magic? She stared at the goddess in disbelief, what was going on? Hecate looked at her and smiled before leaving.
"Luke what is going on?" She asked in shock. "What is all of this?"
Luke sighed, "She is the friend who helped us get away. Annabeth I'll take you to my boss, he'll explain everything." His voice didn't sound so sure, for once she looked Luke and saw a stranger.
"Fine," she said getting up from the bed. "Just let me get ready first."
Luke nodded and left the room as she got ready. She took a shower and dressed herself in a new camp shirt she brought with her. Where is my knife? She looked through her bag and in the drawers but couldn't find it. Luke must have taken it, damn it what is going on? Alarm bells were ringing in her head, something was not right.
"Annabeth are you ready?" Luke called from the other side of the door.
"Yeah I am," she said setting her bag down. I'll look for it later. I have to figure out what is going on here. Something isn't right with this place; it gives me the creeps.
She exited the room and Luke gave her a small smile, "Come on it's time to meet the boss?"
"Who is this boss of yours?" She asked as they walked down the hallway of the ship.
"You'll see," Luke said softly as they climbed the stairs.
She wanted to ask why he was acting so weird, but something wasn't right about this situation. Luke didn't so much as look her in the as they walked through the ship. What is going on Luke?
As soon as they reached the other corridor she noticed a bunch of monsters patrolling the place. "Luke watch out!" She said as she instinctively went for her dagger but realized it wasn't there.
"Don't worry they won't hurt us," Luke said casually as he continued to walk casually down the hall.
Her heart raced, all the alarm bells in her head were going off as she followed Luke from behind. For a second she felt like she was a child again, hiding behind Luke as he protected her.
They arrived at the door where a pair of monsters guarded it. Her body froze but they moved out of the way and opened the door for her and Luke.
She carefully followed Luke into the room. It was dark and freezing, in the middle was a gold sarcophagus that sent chills down her spine. The door behind them slammed shut and Luke bowed to the sarcophagus, "Lord Kronos you wished to see us?"
Kronos!? Her body froze in shock as a powerful sensation permeated from the coffin. No no this can't be. She stared in shock at Luke and at the sarcophagus in front of her as her body shook. No no this is all wrong, this has to be a dream.
"Luke you are your friend made quite the commotion upon leaving the camp," A voice from the sarcophagus said. Kronos's voice was silky smooth, yet cold and powerful unlike anything she heard before. "Those sons of Poseidon nearly took your head had it not been for your friend here."
"I know my mistake," Luke said bowing his head. "But I won't let get in my way in the future."
Kronos laughed, his voice reverberating throughout the room, "Well the important thing is that you and your friend are here. Girl presents yourself."
Luke looked at her and she was at a loss for words. "Annabeth it's alright," Luke said softly.
Her body shook as she gulped down her fear, she had to act quickly and choose her words carefully, "My name is Annabeth Chase daughter of Athena." She forced the words out of her mouth, she really wished this was some elaborate dream.
"I sense anger in your heart Athena," Kronos said. "I take it this is all new to you, you didn't know Luke served me did you?"
"N-No I didn't," she said trying to sound as calm as possible. She looked at Luke who avoided her gaze. Damn you Luke.
Kronos laughed, "You have anger in you. Luke has told me you would make a strong recruit, I can already tell though that you do not wish to serve me. However, please understand that I cannot just let you leave."
Her legs shook, she knew that she was in a very delicate situation even without the direct threat. Calm down I have to think of a plan to get out of here. Just be calm and try not to die Athena always has a plan. Yet she was unarmed on a cruise ship with monsters in the middle of the ocean with the Titan Lord's coffin.
"I take it you want to go back? But would your camp accept you?" Krono said his voice a half laugh. "You may not know this but the sons of Poseidon had an Iris message running when Luke confessed and you saved him. The entire camp and Olympus know what Luke did and sees you as an accomplice."
Her eyes widened her body shook. No he must be lying. He is the father of all lies. Legs shaking she thought of a way to rebut what he said but if Luke is working for Kronos and she helped him escape then she was guilty of helping him.
No no I didn't mean to. Tears fell down her eyes, camp was her home she didn't mean to betray it. She thought of Chiron, her siblings, and all her friends who now must view her as a traitor. Her stomach turned as she thought of her mother and how she would've taken the news of her leaving the camp.
"Well daughter of Athena I'll give you a choice to think about," Kronos said frankly. "You can either join and pledge your loyalty to me or you'll die. After all I can't just let you return to the gods. The choice is yours."
Luke looked at her with a pleading gaze, "Annabeth make the right choice. The gods have never cared for us. Think of what they did to Thalia and the countless other demigods who they ruined. Please I know you'll make the right choice."
She stared at him in disbelief, the Luke she knew suddenly seemed like a stranger. "How could you do this," she sobbed before turning around and heading towards the door.
Ignoring Luke's calls she burst into the hallway and ran down the corridor. The monsters seemed surprised but did not intervene as she ran down the flight of stairs. She passed by various peepholes and saw that they were indeed in the middle of the ocean. Damn it I have to get out of here.
She ran past various people and monsters who ignored her. Eventually she made her way back to her room, she opened the door and slammed it shut before falling on her bed and breaking down.
She grabbed a box of tissues and cried into them. How could he do this? I thought we were supposed to be a family? She sobbed into her tissues. Luke works for Kronos she still couldn't believe it. I helped him get away. Everyone must think I supported him
Shaking her head the realization hit her. They see me as an accomplice. Her body shook as she let the tears fall.
The idea of the camp and her mother viewing her as a traitor made her break down. Camp is my home, it was our home. How could Luke do this? She took a few deep breaths, her body shaking as she grabbed her water bottle and drank it. Carefully getting up she went over to her window and pulled the blinds back, there was ocean for as far as she could see, she was trapped on a cruise ship with Kronos and his supporters.
She nearly fell back onto her bed as she thought of what to do. Mother please give me your wisdom. Yet she wondered if Athena would ever want to hear from her again.
The sound of the door opening made her sit up. "Hey Annabeth how are you doing?" Luke asked softly.
"Go to hell," she spat glaring at him. "How could you lie to me? How could you betray camp?"
Luke sighed, "Annabeth I know you're upset. I brought you here because I know you don't belong there."
"YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING!" she yelled throwing a pillow at him.
Luke ignored the pillow as it hit his head and fell to the ground. "Annabeth the gods never have cared for us. Kronos will lead mankind to a new era of prosperity. He'll fix everything I know it. You can do greater things here than at camp."
She stared at Luke in disbelief, how could he believe such things? "Luke what happened to you?" She asked her body shaking. "How long have you been serving Kronos?"
"I've Kronos for a while. I won't deny the things the gods now accuse me of," Luke said looking at her with his eyes that now seemed dull. "I stole the bolt, was caught and punished for it."
His words hit her like a freight train. "It was you," she said softly. "You stole it. You nearly caused a war between Zeus and Poseidon." And I helped you get away. The realization that she helped him get away and that the camp most likely saw her as an accomplice in that act made her shake uncontrollably. "What else have you lied to me about?" She asked softly. "Did Percy and his brother really take my hat?"
Luke sighed, "Listen I know this is a lot to take in. Just calm down and think about it, you can be a part of something bigger. You can help build the new world Lord Kronos will make from the ashes of this one. We'll free Thalia soon, we'll be a family again just like the old days. The gods don't know anything this is our chance to make things right."
Her body shook, she couldn't believe what he was saying. I wish this were all a nightmare.
"Lord Kronos has allowed you some time to take it all in," Luke said softly. "I won't let him hurt you but he will not let you escape, so please make the right choice. Just don't test his patience." She could hear the pleading in his voice and she knew he was right.
With that he left her room. As soon as her door closed she fell to her knees and broke down. Anger and bitterness rushed through her; she was betrayed by the person she saw as family. Athena always finds a way. Mom I know you are disappointed in me right now but I didn't help him in those things.
She cleaned her face with another tissue and sat on her bed, she had to survive one way or another. Her feelings quickly turned to one thing, preservation. She couldn't die here, she wouldn't allow others to see her as a traitor to the gods. I can't die here. I won't die here. Luke please come to your senses. I'll do whatever it takes to make you see the light.
AN: Sorry for the long update was busy with personal things. Anyway lets just say that Annabeth will have a very different story here and a different relationship with Percy.
As for shipping I haven't really decided who to ship Percy with if anyone. I won't force a ship though.
Anyway let me know your thoughts. If you liked it or not. If this story isn't for you I hope you can find a story that better suits you. I plan on diverging more and more from canon by the end of this arc.
