I stood by the edge of the woods, staring at the familiar landscape of Camp Half-Blood, though

everything felt off. The vibrant green trees, the sounds of laughter drifting from the mess hall,

the familiar clang of swords—none of it seemed to matter anymore. Everything reminded me of

Annabeth, and now that she wasn't here, it only made the emptiness grow.

I didn't know what I was supposed to do with myself now. It felt like the ground had been apulled

out from under me. I had been so sure that Annabeth and I would figure things out, that we

would always be together—after all, we'd been through so much. But now... now, I felt lost.

"Percy."

I turned toward the voice, and there she was. Annabeth. She looked different. Her eyes, usually

so full of fire and determination, were dim, like the light inside her had flickered out. She was

walking toward me slowly, her face set in an unreadable expression.

I felt my heart skip a beat. "Hey, Annabeth," I said, trying to sound casual, but it came out tight,

like there was a knot in my chest. I already knew something was wrong, but I couldn't stop

myself from hoping—just a little—that I was imagining things.

"I—" She hesitated, biting her lip like she was trying to hold back something. "We need to talk."

My stomach sank, and I immediately knew. It wasn't just a casual conversation. This was it. The

moment I'd been dreading.

"Yeah. Sure," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "What's going on?"

She sighed, taking a deep breath before speaking again. "Percy, I've been thinking a lot about

us. About everything."

I swallowed hard. "Yeah, me too."

"I don't think this is working anymore." Annabeth's voice was steady, but I could hear the cracks

in it, like she was holding back tears. "I don't think we should be together anymore."

The words hit me like a slap to the face, but I couldn't move, couldn't breathe for a second. I just

stood there, frozen. "What? Annabeth, what are you talking about? We've been through

everything. We've been together through all the wars, the monsters. We—"

"I know, Percy," she said, cutting me off gently, but firmly. "We've been through a lot, but... we've

both changed. I've changed. And I think you have, too. And I don't think we can keep pretending

things are the way they were."

My heart was pounding in my chest now, the pain making it hard to breathe. "But... I don't

understand. I thought—"

"I know. I know you thought we could get through it." She took a small step back, her eyes finally

breaking away from mine, staring at the ground like she couldn't even look me in the eye. "But

I've been thinking, and I can't keep going like this. I need to figure out who I am. I need to be

someone on my own... and I think you need to do the same. You're not the same person you

were when we first met, and neither am I. We've grown apart."

I wanted to say something. Anything. But the words wouldn't come. How could they? Everything

she said felt like a punch to the gut, like she was slowly ripping apart something I had fought so

hard to build.

"Annabeth... I don't want this. I don't want us to end," I said, my voice breaking slightly. "We're

stronger together. We always have been."

"I don't want it either, Percy," she whispered, and for a moment, I saw the flicker of pain in her

eyes. "But we've been holding on to something that isn't there anymore. I don't think I can be

who I need to be when I'm still holding onto the past... or holding onto you."

I felt like the ground was slipping away beneath me. I wanted to say something—something that

would make everything go back to the way it was—but I knew deep down that nothing would

change her mind. She had made up hers.

"Annabeth..." I trailed off, my voice barely audible. "I don't know what to do."

"You'll figure it out. You always do," she said softly, her voice catching on the last words. "But...

we need to let go. For both of us."

I just stood there, staring at her, as the world around me seemed to collapse into silence. She

took one last look at me, then turned and walked away without another word.

I couldn't even move. I couldn't even call out to her. All I could do was stand there, watching her

go. And for the first time in what felt like forever, I realized I was truly alone.

After the Breakup

The camp felt emptier than it had before. Every corner, every familiar face, now seemed to

remind me of the hole in my chest where Annabeth used to be. It wasn't just about losing her—it

was about losing the version of myself I had been when I was with her. I didn't know who I was

without her.

That was when I felt a familiar presence beside me.

"Percy."

I turned to find Hestia standing a few feet away, her warm, steady gaze locking onto mine. She

had always been someone I could trust, but today, she seemed almost... maternal, like she was

here for something bigger than just a simple conversation.

"You've been through a lot, haven't you?" Hestia asked, her voice gentle, yet knowing.

I nodded numbly. "Yeah. Feels like I've lost everything."

She stepped closer, her presence somehow bringing me a sense of peace despite the storm

inside me. "Not everything. You haven't lost everything, Percy. You still have a home. And that

home... is not just here."

I frowned, confused. "What do you mean?"

"There's another place for you," she said softly. "A place where you can find yourself again. New

Rome. You've heard of it, haven't you?"

I blinked, still not fully understanding. "New Rome? You mean... the Roman camp? I don't know.

I don't even belong there."

Hestia smiled, her eyes filled with quiet wisdom. "You do. More than you think. It's a place where

people like you—people who feel lost—can rebuild themselves. It's where you can start fresh,

Percy. Find peace. And maybe... find who you are again."

I swallowed hard, trying to process her words. The idea of leaving Camp Half-Blood seemed

impossible, but at the same time... maybe it was what I needed. "I don't know if I'm ready for

that.

"You don't have to be," Hestia said, her voice warm, like a flickering flame. "But the first step is

always the hardest. Trust me, New Rome could be your next step. When you're ready."

I stared at her for a moment, letting her words sink in. Maybe this was the sign I needed—the

push to move on. I couldn't keep holding onto the past. And maybe, just maybe, New Rome

could be the place where I could find myself again.

"Thanks, Hestia," I said quietly.

She smiled. "Remember, Percy, you're never truly alone. The hearth will always be with you."

With that, she disappeared into the air, and for the first time in days, I felt a flicker of hope.

After Hestia's visit, I couldn't shake the feeling that maybe I needed to leave Camp Half-Blood.

The camp had been my home for so long, but it wasn't the same without Annabeth. And with

her gone, I was left with a void I couldn't fill. So, I did what seemed like the only thing left to do: I

packed up my things.

It wasn't easy. Walking through the camp felt like a constant reminder of all that I had lost—of

Annabeth, of everything we had built together. The place that had once been home now felt

suffocating. I couldn't stay. But I wasn't sure where I was supposed to go. The world outside of

Camp Half-Blood was a big, unfamiliar place, and honestly, I felt smaller than I ever had before.

I had thought about New Rome before, of course. Reyna had told me about it several times

when we'd worked together in the past. The Roman camp was different than Camp Half-Blood

in a lot of ways, but it still felt like a home for demigods who needed something new—something

to rebuild. Maybe that was what I needed.

Still, I wasn't sure what Reyna's invitation meant. I had kept in touch with her over the years, but

we hadn't talked much since the wars. She was busy, I was busy, and now that I was basically

running away from my life at Camp Half-Blood, I wasn't sure how she'd feel about me asking to

join New Rome.

I stood by the docks, staring at the horizon, wondering if there was more to life than just

constantly fighting monsters and battling prophecies. I had done all that, and it hadn't given me

the answers I was looking for. Maybe New Rome could give me something I could hold onto,

something to build again.

Just as I was about to make the decision to head out, I heard the sound of footsteps behind me.

I turned and saw Reyna walking toward me, her stride confident, but there was a soft look in her

eyes that made my chest tighten.

"Percy," she said, her voice steady. "You look like you're about to disappear into the ocean."

I chuckled, though it didn't feel genuine. "Something like that," I replied. "I'm just... trying to

figure things out."

Reyna raised an eyebrow. "Figuring out what? I can't imagine that wandering around in circles is

going to solve whatever's going on in your head."

I didn't have the energy to hide it anymore, so I just said it: "I think I'm leaving. I can't stay here."

Her gaze softened, and she stepped closer. "Leaving? You mean, leaving Camp Half-Blood?"

she asked, a hint of concern in her voice.

"Yeah. I don't really belong here anymore. With everything that happened... I don't know what to

do. I thought about going to New Rome."

Reyna blinked, and for a split second, there was a flash of something in her eyes—relief,

maybe, or understanding. "You're always welcome at New Rome, Percy. I've been meaning to

ask you to come. You belong there just as much as you belong here. It could be a fresh start for

you."

I wasn't sure what I expected her to say, but her words made something inside me shift. "You

mean that? You don't think I'm just... a stranger to you guys?"

She smiled, a small, reassuring curve of her lips. "Percy, you've never been a stranger to me.

You've been my ally, my friend, and, well... I think you know the rest."

I felt a weight lift from my chest, though I didn't fully know why. Maybe it was because Reyna

understood