The news hit many people hard. The hardest hit was a thirteen-year-old girl dressed in silver camo as she crouched next to a fire. She had curly blonde hair, a perfect tan, and storm gray eyes. Annabeth Chase had joined the Huntresses of Artemis after Luke had betrayed her all those years ago. She looked up at Thalia, her leader when Artemis was not around. Soon they would be mobilizing again Artemis' hated foe, her giant opposite. She could see worry across the daughter of Zeus' face. It was now, the air shimmered and a Auburn haired girl appeared. Annabeth smiled as their Lady, Artemis appeared. Until she stopped smiling. The Silver Lady's face looked ashen.
"Annabeth, Thalia. Can you two come with me for a moment." The goddess bid and the two girl rose and followed her a short distance from the camp. There was a long silence before the Lady spoke.
"I'm sorry to bare you these tidings, but I thought it best you hear it from me directly. I am disobeying my Father to bring this to you. Percy Jackson is dead."
Annabeth felt her legs give way as she feel to her knees. Her best friend, her Seaweed Brain. Dead? Impossible. She heard a thump and realized Thalia had punched a tree.
"How," The raven-haired girl asked. "How did our cousin die?"
"He was trying to save the son of Athena that had finally found the statue of his mother. He managed to save the boy, before he lost his grip and plunged into the deepest part of the Underworld alone."
Tartarus, the deepest pit in the Underworld. The place she and Percy had saved Grover from being drug to. She felt tears burn her eyes.
"Did the fall kill him?" She heard Thalia ask.
"No, somehow he survived that and walked alone across Tartarus to the Doors of Death. He closed them from his side, right before a pack of monsters got him. The Doors are closed and the rest of the Seven continue onto Greece."
Annabeth started to sob. How could this happen.
"He was a great hero." The goddess said with remorse. "I wish he had accepted the Council's reward and he would still be with us."
Annabeth however, was no longer listening. She was sobbing so hard all she could hear as her own thoughts.How was this fair,she though.I should have been with him. Wait… I was with him. I was in Tartarus. This is just…
*
Annabeth woke with a scream. She covered her eyes and sobbed, her heart broken beyond repair. Percy, her Percy, was gone. There would be no more idiotic smiles from him ever again. Then she felt arms firmly wrapping around her. She felt lips press on the side of her head.
"It was just a dream Wise Girl. Whatever it was, it's over now."
Her tears were relieved ones as she heard her Seaweed Brain's voice in her ear.
"What was it this time?" He asked soothingly. She took a moment to gather her thoughts.
"I was a Huntress. You fell into Tartarus alone and died to a pack of monsters after closing the Doors of Death."
He nodded and snuggled in close to her again. "It didn't happen, either of those things. Just rest easy, Annabeth. We are safe."
She smiled and snuggled into her boyfriend's arms. She was safe and warm there. She was so glad she had refused the Hunt. She reflected as she fell asleep, if that other world had been real, she would have fallen in the coming battle to join her love in death. She was glad that she never had to find out, because she would never be alone again.