Chapter 3 (Annabeth) The General
Where was he? The last thing I remembered was the manticore jumping into the water. We didn't die. I didn't stay conscious long enough to know where Dr Thorn had taken me. I looked around. In front of me was a massive mountain with hills and rivers leading from the base of the mountain. Higher up the mountain were ruins. Ruins that didn't look abandoned. I trudge up the hill. As I got closer, I could see the details more clearly. There were Greek columns of black marble and various black cobblestone walls built around the place, as if someone had decided to build a tower and changed their mind. On my left, there was a section of the crumbled infrastructure that looked like something huge had rammed the wall down.
"Thorn! Where are you? Why did you bring me here?" I sobbed in despair. I crawled over a section of crumbles. I gasped. Luke was crumpled on the floor, his hands on the ground, his face in pain. He looked like he was holding something up using his body. I ran towards him. "Luke!" He looked up.
"Annabeth." He whispered. Then he screamed. "Help me! Please!"
I wanted to cry. "Why should I trust you? You tried to kill us before!"
Luke groaned. "Please. It's killing me. I can't do this any longer. Please, Annabeth."
There was an invisible force crushing him, suffocating him. I rushed in, kneeling at his side. Luke panted and rolled free. He stood up shakily, his legs still unstable.
"Thanks Annabeth." He limped off.
"Luke! Wait!" I groaned. He looked back, a small smile on his face.
"I knew you would trust me. You're a fool, Annabeth. Adrian knew better. He's a lot more powerful than I thought. When Kronos switches bodies, we'll kick Adrian out. You'll be able to get him back."
He turned around and limped a few steps. He stopped and looked back again. "Your sister is dead. Adrian was right about the goddess. Don't worry Annabeth, you won't be under there for long. The goddess is coming. Artemis will take the burden." He limped off.
I started to cry. Luke was gone, no longer the idol and brotherly figure in my life. Adrian was corrupted by the Titan Lord. Andrea, my favourite sister in the Athena cabin, was dead. Killed by Luke.
And Artemis was coming to take the burden of the weight. She would be captured. With one of the most argument-ceasing Olympians in the hands of the Titan's, the remaining Olympians wouldn't stand a chance. Athena, Artemis and Hestia. Artemis would be taken. Hestia wouldn't be able to decide for the Olympians as Dionysus had taken her throne. That left only my mother.
'Please mother.' I silently pleaded. 'Don't let them come.'