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The sun was warming Annabeth’s skin, she stood in the Argo II, feeling the light breeze on her face. Nothing like a trip through Tartarus for one to appreciate the small things in life.
As she was enjoying the feeling, the creaking boards made her turn suddenly, reaching for her weapon, only to find a familiar grin staring at her.
“Whoa there, it’s just me Annabeth, everything ok?” Percy asks as if nothing happened.
She pushed down the retort that almost escaped her lips, her lovable idiot of a boyfriend was many things, but thoughtful had never been one of them. So she took a breath and put on a smile.
“Yeah yeah, it is now.” She answered, letting go of her sword, reaching to caress Percy’s cheek.
“I get it, it’s so hard to believe we’re finally out of there.” He leaned into her hand, closing his eyes. He moved to her side, next to the railing, and extended his hand. Small wisps of water came, like blue snakes, and made Percy visibly relax.
Annabeth’s heart fluttered at the sight, if you ignore the impending rise of Gaea, and the inevitable doom that would follow, it could be as if they were taking a romantic cruise through the mediterranean.
Until she noticed the few tendrils of water curling around Percy’s hand turning a sickly green.
The vision took Annabeth back down to Tartarus, in front of Ahklys, when Percy almost crossed the line. Her breaths shortened, and despite the nice temperatures she started sweating, until she just screamed “NO!” And rushed to her boyfriend as she grabbed his arms to shake them until all of Percy’s control over those twisted powers was gone, and only a concerned boyfriend remained.
“Annabeth? What’s wrong'?”
He looked deeply concerned for her, as if he had not just been playing with those evil, sickly powers. An ability that belonged down in Tartarus, not up in the world of the gods, not in her perfect world.
“Never do that again!” She hissed, feeling some tears run down her cheeks. “You promised me, remember? There are things that are never meant to be controlled, this is one of them. Never do so again, you hear me?” Her voice had started breaking down by the end of her sentence, her legs felt all wobbly, as if she was about to fall down any moment, only holding thanks to Percy’s strong hands. “Never, under any circumstance. Promise me.”
He looked hurt at her words. Good Annabeth thought. If he feels guilty about this there are more chances he’ll honour his word.
“I– I promise Wise Girl, never again. I won’t ever let you feel scared of anything. Not even from me.”
His eyes were so full of love for her, Annabeth chose to believe him. Percy wasn’t bad, he just needed someone to help him think things through, he’d be a goner without her. A loose canon with nowhere to aim. That’s why they made such a good team. Annabeth aimed for Percy, and all he had to do was shoot.
Some days later they found themselves making good rhythm through the Aegean. They had a foul mouthed, overdramatic goddess of victory tied in their stables and she and Piper had been able to get the mahkai for the physician’s cure. Oh, and they also killed another of the gigas, nothing unexpected since Annabeth herself had been in charge of the mission.
And she wouldn’t admit it in front of anyone but talking to Piper had done her wonders. Normally, she would’ve gone to Percy whenever she needed to rest, to not be the strong, capable one if only for a couple minutes. But how could she when he kept reacting the way he did?
For Athena’s grace he had blown up the Argo’s pipes just because he didn’t want her to go get the chained statue of that brawn and no brains Ares.
Piper had really been a breath of fresh air, but sometimes, in Annabeth’s nightmares, she saw a Percy who didn’t stop, a Percy who didn’t listen to her, and nothing scared her as much as that. Not even Gaea.
She was eating breakfast, some toast and a cup of black coffee, when Percy, Frank and Hazel entered, laughing about some joke she didn’t really get. Something about his time in Camp Jupiter that he had not explained to her.
Percy's smile widened just by seeing her, and she couldn’t help but be reminded of her dog back when she was five, Percy smiled the same way and, if she squinted, she could even pretend he had a tail wagging behind him. Oh her seaweed brain, so clueless about so many things.
Suddenly Frank shouted. “Percy, catch!” And threw a bunch of water in the air surprising all of them.
Percy extended his arm and the water suddenly stilled while in the air, forming a sphere, then he slowly moved it to the water jug on the table without spilling one drop, earning more laughs and applause from both roman demigods.
That was what broke the camel’s back.
“PERSEUS JACKSON!” Annabeth screamed.
Percy winced and gave her a scared look.
She ignored it and grabbed his arm, dragging him from the room. “Come with me right now.” She told him, fuming.
They left Hazel and Frank giving each other confused looks and she dragged Percy to the bow of the ship. Percy followed her meekly, like a child who knew he had done something wrong.
Good, Annabeth thought, he ought to feel like this.
There she finally let go of him and crossed her arms, frowning at him while tapping the floor with her foot. Percy just stood there, not even daring to look at her eyes.
“Are you just going to stay there, silent?” Annabeth confronted him.
Percy slowly rose his eyes, finally daring to stare at her. “I don’t know what you want me to say Annabeth, why are you so angry?”
Gods he could be dense sometimes.
“Don’t you realize how you’ve been using your powers these days, Seaweed Brain? Can’t you see what can happen if you use them like that? Gods Percy, I thought you were more responsible than this.”
He just frowned at her, confused. “Using them like what? Frank and I were just playing, it’s not like it takes that much effort to—”
“Like it doesn’t take that much effort to blow the pipes of the ship?” She interrupted him.
He had the decency to at least look ashamed. “That was an accident.” He mumbled.
“One thing can lead to another and if you end up like when we fought Ahklys again—” Annabeth let out a barely contained sob, the very idea that it could happen again frightened her to the core.
Percy then hugged her, his arms were not as muscular as they had been, she could count every one of his ribs through his shirt. But still she felt like she could melt right into him. Percy had that effect on her, despite everything she still loved him fiercely and would have no one else but him. If only she could make him see his mistakes and ensure he never committed them again…
Well, no relationship that is worth anything should be easy, and this was their challenge. And if she could defeat Arachne, she could fix Percy.
They stayed like this until the wind started to pick up and the sky darkened with clouds. A storm?
Percy kept his eyes on the sea as it started turning rough. “Monsters.”
He let go of her and rushed to the stern, warning the rest of the seven on the way. Annabeth quickly unsheathed her drakon bone sword and approached the railing trying to catch a glimpse of their foes.
Quick as a snake, the bronze tip of a trident would’ve pierced right through her face had she not ducked.
And in no moment, its owner was on the ship as well. A gigas stood before Annabeth, 30ft tall, with reptilian legs similar to a komodo dragon. From his waist upwards he wore a green-blue plate shaped with the faces of many monsters, his face was humanoid looking, with his skin taking on a blueish tone. And from his hair hung many basilisks.
Annabeth didn’t have to guess who he was, Percy had described him plenty when they had arrived in New Rome. Polybotes.
“Puny demigods, rejoice! For you will have the honour of perishing under the hand of the mighty Polybotes.” His laugh rumbled through the entire ship, making Annabeth, Frank and Hazel stop. His presence was way more intimidating than his brother, Mimas.
“ANNABETH!” Percy shouted, his voice filled with concern.
“Ah, the son of Poseidon, do not worry for your lover, Gaea has very special pla—” Before Polybotes could finish the sentence, Percy had already slammed him with one of the raging waves, throwing him completely out of balance and breaking the stupor from the rest of them.
They all charged the Gigas, but even if Annabeth had been the one closest to him, Percy still reached him first, Riptide already drawn and a fiery look in his eyes.
Polybotes quickly recovered from Percy’s surprise attack and stabilized himself as he clashed trident versus sword while using a net to keep Frank and Hazel occupied.
Annabeth moved to the giant’s right side, aiming for the tendon behind his knee, but his clash with Percy had him moving around too much for her to dare get so close.
The combat seemed to enter a sort of stalemate. Neither of the demigods were able to deliver any kind of significant blow to Polybotes, and he was not able to fully get rid of any of them; they were too quick for him to be able to go on the offensive.
They remained like that for what felt like hours, but she knew barely a minute had passed. They needed something to tip the scales to their side.
The lull was broken by Jason, Leo and Piper joining them in their fight; together, the seven were clearly too much for the nemesis of Poseidon, who only managed to stay alive due to the lack of gods offering their help.
In a desperate move, he shook his own hair, releasing many of the basilisks that resided there.
All of the seven took a step back to avoid contact with the deadly skin of the monsters, a moment that Polybotes used to throw the net onto Jason, dragging him from the sky and making him fall on top of Piper.
Before anyone else could react, he twisted his body in unnatural speeds for one of his size, grabbing Annabeth from the ground.
“Let her down.” Percy’s voice was full of barely concealed rage, as he slashed through two basilisks at the same time.
Polybotes didn’t bother with a response, he simply smirked at him. That expression made Annabeth start sweating cold.
She struggled with all the strength she could muster, trying to stab the Gigas through the hand, biting, kicking. But nothing was working and he simply jumped overboard to the sea.
Without Percy with her, she was unable to breathe underwater, so she kept her eyes shut, holding out and praying that he would soon take her to land, where she’d have more chances of escaping him. He was stronger than her, sure, but Annabeth was certain she’d be able to outsmart him.
Soon her prayers were answered, the pressure of seawater no longer on her face she was able to draw another breath.
They were on a beach, but she couldn’t make out which one, hopefully one in the Peloponisian coast.
Still unable to escape Polybotes’ grip, Annabeth’s mind started working to its full capacity, looking for anything she might be able to use to thwart the gigas’ plan. Unfortunately, there was nothing but sand and rocks, and unless she could figure a way to decrease the strength of which she was held, there was nothing to do. Damned giants and their way too big bodies, if only Annabeth could wiggle a single hand out of his grip she’d have his head in no moment.
“I told you to let her down.”
Percy appeared from the waves, his voice eerily cold, contrasting with the look of sheer hatred in his eyes.
Annabeth had to gulp, her boyfriend looked just like one of the gods, ready to smite those who had offended him.
“And what if I don’t, child of Poseidon? Will you risk the life of this girl?” Polybotes’ smug tone made Annabeth want to strangle him herself. She was no damsel in distress to be saved by anyone. She was Annabeth Chase, architect of Olympus, leader of the seven. She had walked through fucking Tartarus. No being would treat her as an incapable lady.
Her rage didn’t last long, for Percy made a quick upwards gesture with Riptide, and suddenly she fell to the ground alongside Polybotes’ arm.
What had happened?
She felt the arm turn to golden dust around her but she still heard Polybotes’ screaming in rage. When she finally looked, she noticed that he was now missing his arm, which was already regrowing, but it still left her speechless.
How had Percy managed to cut his arm just by swinging his sword? He was one of the best fighters of their generation, like her, Luke had made sure of that. But neither of them had ever been able to slice anything from outside of their range.
As Polybotes’ lost arm fully regenerated, he provided the answer for Annabeth. “You and your water tricks. I admit you’ve gotten quite good at them, but not enough to beat me.”
The water around his feet took on an eerie green glow, but before he could launch it at them, Percy rushed him, the sea itself following his path like a charging snake.
They clashed again at high speeds. Every strike made the ground around them vibrate with the sound of celestial bronze strikes. And for every cut Percy delivered, the water delivered two more, putting Polybotes on his back leg as he tried to fend off all of the attacks just to get a window to be able to pierce Annabeth’s boyfriend.
Percy’s moves seemed to blend with the water slashes of the sea, their moves enticing like no other. It was closer to a dance than a fight, like a rhythmic gymnast.
Annabeth kept on her knees watching, unable to do anything. Percy was somehow able to dominate in a fight with his own father’s nemesis. It was unbelievable, when had he become so strong?
But as powerful as he was, he was still mortal, and Polybotes could not be killed by just him. Little by little, he started gaining on the ground he had lost on Percy’s first rush of attacks. And his’ were much more dangerous than Percy’s.
Polybotes started copying his move, but instead of the sea, it was poison. His strikes were not as precise or beautiful, but they packed way more of a punch, and just a single graze could end it.
Percy was aware of it, for he tried to put some distance to try to recover. They needed a god, and they needed him now, or Polybotes would have them both.
A wave slammed into the giant, making him lose his momentum. Which gave Percy a chance to rest, even if for a moment. He then directed a look at her, his eyes glowed with a sad look, and he mouthed something to her that she couldn’t make out.
He closed his eyes, as if concentrating for a big attack, but the waves of the remained the same. Slowly, the water at his feet started turning a bright green colour.
Still, Percy remained concentrating, preparing something Annabeth could not grasp. Polybotes roared, and he charged forward again. No, Annabeth thought, something was going very wrong, the water Percy had been using had fully turned toxic green, and nothing seemed to come from the sea.
“Percy, NO!” Annabeth tried to warn him, if Polybotes took away Percy’s water he’d have no chance to resist any further.
But it was not that of which Annabeth should’ve worried.
Percy suddenly opened his eyes, pushed his arms forward, and the poison behind him clashed with Polybotes’ own.
There was a scream, but Annabeth did not know if it was hers, Percy’s or the gigas’.
The result became obvious soon enough, Polybotes was reeling backwards, holding his own face as he still kept screaming in pain.
Percy had also used poison.
He had promised her he wouldn’t and yet…
Oh, Annabeth realized, that’s what he had mouthed before, he was apologizing beforehand.
She still felt her heart ache, Percy had never broken a promise to her before, never. Until now.
Polybotes then roared and charged Percy again, his face was burnt with the effects of the poison and his eyes had lost any of what mirth may have had before. He looked ready to murder them, no matter what Gaea had ordered him.
Percy answered him with a roar of his own, his poison rising behind him like a fuming tsunami.
They clashed again, poison versus poison. It was impossible for Annabeth to distinguish how it was going beyond the grunts of pain from both Percy and Polybotes.
Something then caught Annabeth’s eye, the sea foam accumulated in the surf zone. Then a figure emerged, a young woman with bright white skin and hair glowing like jellyfish tendrils. Her face was unearthly beautiful, her eyes too bright and her features too delicate. She was 20ft tall, wearing a flowing green dress cinched at the waist by a belt of abalone shells. She carried a dangerous looking, celestial bronze disk.
She stood on the beach, observing, just like Annabeth was, the battle between the son of Poseidon against his father’s nemesis. Her expression unreadable, Annabeth couldn’t figure if she was on their side, or against them.
Finally, Percy managed to put some distance between him and his enemy, he had multiple small cuts bleeding on his skin, and some worrying acidic burns on his arms.
But Polybotes looked way worse, almost all of his visible body was covered in even worse burns, his armor had melted in some places and in his shoulder, all flesh was gone, leaving a bright bone visible as greenish-golden ichor was flowing through his arm.
A disturbing dolphin-like laugh came from the goddess that had been watching.
“My, my, isn’t father’s youngest interesting. I’ve seen whale carcasses in a better state than you Polybotes.”
“Help me end the runt Kymopoleia, you swore your fealty to mother Earth.” The giant grunted between breaths of pain.
Annabeth felt her blood go cold, Percy had barely managed to defeat Polybotes, but he was still standing, it could take him longer to heal but he would do so eventually. If they had to deal with another god besides him there would be no hope.
Percy seemed to have his mind somewhere else. “Dad’s youngest? Are you also a child of Poseidon?”
“You know, there’s probably a 50% chance that if you ask that to anyone in the pantheon they’d say yes, you are correct, little one.” The goddess, Kymopoleia according to Polybotes, smirked at her boyfriend, a dangerous shine in her eyes. “I am Kymopoleia, goddess of violent storms and daughter of Poseidon and Amphitrite.” She extended her arms, trying to make her introduction sound as grand as possible.
“I told you to kill him, pathetic goddess. Cease your useless boasting or face my wrath.”
“Oh shut your mouth, the only beings that should fear your wrath are newborn turtles, and you wouldn’t even be near their top worries.” She waved an arm at the Gigas, dismissing him.
Percy slightly raised his sword. “So what do you want then, sister? Are you here to help us or to fight us?”
They all held their breaths as Kymopoleia brought a finger to her mouth, the gesture signalling that she was considering something. Then her eyes sparked, a vicious smile creeping over her face.
“Say little godling, what would you do if I helped you?”
“WHAT?!” Polybotes was going to shout something else, but Percy, quickwitted for once, was faster.
“I would give you my utmost appreciation, and anything else that would be in my power.” He answered.
That, judging by the glint in her eyes, was the correct answer.
Kymopoleia didn’t even give the giant a chance to protest, she threw her disc, beheading Polybotes. His body started breaking down into the usual golden dust.
Annabeth finally seemed to get some strength in her legs, so she rushed to hug Percy.
“Ou, ou, ou.” He fake complained. “Careful there, wise girl.”
A single teardrop made its way down her face. She looked at him, at Percy, at her boyfriend, her beloved boyfriend who despite everything had just broken his promise to her.
“How could you?” She hissed at him, and she saw his face twist in confusion.
"How could you use that? You promised. You PROMISED ME!” Her voice broke as she raised it. Percy’s eyes widened and he looked down, ashamed.
“I’m sorry, Wise Girl, there was no other–”
“Yes, yes there was. You could’ve beaten him if you had just kept using your regular powers. But you had to turn to those evil, corrupt ones. Don’t you realize, Seaweed Brain? What if they turned you into a monster? What of me? What of us? How could you be so stupidly selfish?”
Annabeth threw everything to Percy, her fear, her insecurity. All of it. And he just stood there and took it, he didn’t answer. He didn’t even give her an explanation. He just stood there.
Uninterrupted, and ignoring the goddess clearing her throat, she continued. “And most importantly, you broke your word Percy, how am I to trust you if you don’t keep your word?”
She felt more tears fall down her face. Then all she could feel was Percy hugging her.
“I’m sorry for failing you wise girl, never again.”
He let go of her and approached the ocean, once he had the waves caressing his feet he turned, looked at her eyes and smiled. The smile which had made her fall in love with him so many years ago.
“Percy?”
“Little one?”
Then Percy, without saying anything, uncapped Riptide, turned it around pointing at his midsection and he pushed.
He fell to his knees, a blood-soaked, bronze tip coming out of his back. The blood dripped to the ground tainting it red and gold.
“NO!” Annabeth shrieked. She rushed to her boyfriend but a wind blast didn’t let her. Kymopoleia was suddenly there, holding her down.
“What did you say to him, mortal? WHAT DID YOU DO?” She screamed at her.
Annabeth couldn’t answer, for once in her life, she found herself unable to think anything, all she could see was her boyfriend, laying in the sand as blood kept pouring out from him. All she could do was scream back at her, begging to let her go. She needed to be by Percy’s side now, and she wouldn’t let no god block her from doing so.
The waves started rising, and suddenly it was like the whole sea was churning with rage. After a blink, Poseidon was there, looking completely devastated. He knelt before Percy and started cradling him.
Annabeth could tell the moment the last breath escaped him.
Poseidon started wailing, and the sea cried with him. Kymopoleia whispered near her. “No way.”
No, no, no, that couldn’t be happening. Percy, her Percy, couldn’t be dead. She needed him. No one else understood her like he did. She could taste the salt of her own tears falling endlessly.
“Let me go. Damn you, let me go to him.” She cried. That seemed to catch Poseidon’s attention.
He got up, still cradling him, and approached them.
“Let her go, Kym.” His tone was cold, almost devoid of emotion.
“But father, she…” Kymopoleia looked torn between shame and, was that grief? This goddess who had, by Polybotes’ words, betrayed them, she dared show grief?
“I know, let her go now.” Poseidon spoke with the authority of a king, never had he taken this tone whenever Percy was around.
His daughter bowed her head, and finally she let go of Annabeth.
Annabeth gulped, but she stood up to the king of the sea, her boyfriend’s father. She tried to approach him, tried to grab her boyfriend. He couldn’t be dead. He couldn’t be.
Poseidon hissed and swatted her hand away. “Don’t you dare touch him.”
“He’s my boyfriend. And he requires medical assistance, so go back and leave me to—”
“To what?” Poseidon interrupted her, his tone deadly cold. “He’s dead, girl.”
“NO! You can’t know that, he needs help, maybe if we can get to the Underworld—”
The sea rose suddenly and a gargantuan wave now stood behind the god of the sea, ready to crash and kill her at any moment.
“My son is dead, spawn of Athena. By his own hand perhaps, but it’s your fault. Your words killed him, and if you think I’m going to allow another one of your ilk walk away freely after taking from the sea you are wrong.” Poseidon’s tone sounded disturbed, like an explosion contained inside a wooden box, and every word he uttered was like a crack that threatened to release its full power into the world.
Still Annabeth puffed, it was she who had fallen to Tartarus with Percy, she who had been by his side when he most needed it, not Poseidon, not any of the gods. She looked at the ancient god to his eyes, fearless. “My fault? I was the one who took care of him, the one who stood by him. Where were you, lord Poseidon, when your son needed you the most? Where were you when we were fighting Polybotes?” She saw his eyes twitch and Annabeth knew she had struck at the god’s pride. “Had you come when we begged you to, Percy wouldn’t have killed himself. He would’ve never been forced to become a monster to defend us.”
The sky darkened and Poseidon adjusted his grip so that he could hold Percy’s body with one hand. A glowing bronze trident appeared in his hand, radiating more power than Annabeth had felt before.
“My fault, you say?” Poseidon’s expression changed, it no longer seemed humanoid, it was like a hundred sea creatures had merged, its features alternating every second. Gone was any of the resemblance he might have once had with Percy. He looked like something that shouldn’t exist, like he had borrowed something for every single creature in the seas. “You, disgusting spawn of Athena, might be the dumbest, most idiotic, selfish creature to ever walk this world. MY son prayed to me every day because of the things you said to him. MY son prayed to me because YOU made him hate himself. MY son begged for my help because YOU made him swear to reject the very core of his being!”
For every word Poseidon took one step closer to her, and for each step he took, Annabeth took one back. As much as her pride reeled at the offense, she couldn’t control it. Just being half a centimeter near the god made every single sense in the demigoddess scream. Like he would vaporize just by being near her.
His words were like hammers, hitting Annabeth over, and over again. What she had said? But she had only wanted to take care of Percy. Why would Percy hate himself because of Annabeth’s caring words? She just couldn’t understand it. She loved Percy, and he loved her back. They were made for each other, how could she even cause something like that? Impossible, it couldn’t be, Poseidon had to be lying, he had to. And so she told him.
Poseidon seemed to stop. “Liar? Liar you call me?” The very sea started boiling, vapor rising from it, storm clouds forming over their heads and the earth started rumbling. “Percy was about to ascend, take his rightful place at my side, immortal, with a domain of his own! And you, pathetic disgrace, made him hate that side of himself. You made him reject it to such an extent, that he would’ve rather died than accept himself. He was never a monster, he would’ve been the god of poisons. AND YOU denied him of his fate!”
Annabeth fell to her knees, there was no way, it couldn’t be. “But— but poison? How could someone as good as Percy control something as evil as poison? That’s something for monsters.”
The storm started roaring, the wind blowing so hard it ripped the rocks near the coast apart.
“You are more stupid than even I gave you credit for. Power is but a tool we wield. And it’s as bad or good as the individual wielding it. Since you failed to learn this, I shall show you what a truly evil power looks like.”
Poseidon’s form darkened, and he started speaking a language Annabeth couldn’t make out, a language of old, from way before any of the ages of man. His voice had taken on a guttural tone, and she could feel the effects of it creeping on her skin. Like a thousand ants running up and down her body, biting her, trying to get inside her.
Suddenly her skin started burning and she screamed, the pain became unbearable and she threw herself on to the sand, desperately trying to make it stop. She could feel her entire body getting wet with her own blood, but when she looked at herself she could not see any. Was this how it felt going mad?
It was like being in Tartarus again, as if she was taking a bath in the Phlegethon and she couldn’t come out. She started begging the god to stop, between sobs she asked him to stop, but he would continue chanting, undisturbed. Was this how she was going to die?
Finally, Poseidon ended his chant, and with it the pain. Annabeth managed to get on her knees, trying to regain her breath. She had somehow survived.
“You think it’s over? This has just begun, spawn of Athena.” And with those words, the god of the seas vanished along with Percy’s body.
Annabeth managed to slowly get up, the pain had left her exhausted. She had to– She had to—
What did she have to do?
Something twisted deep inside Annabeth and she knew something was very wrong. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t think.
Like having a word stuck on the tip of the tongue, she could feel her thoughts attempting to form in the back of her head, but she was somehow unable to access them. She started hyperventilating.
No, no, no, no. That couldn’t be happening. A god like Poseidon couldn’t suddenly turn her dumb. That was not part of his domains. It couldn’t be.
But still she could not form any coherent thoughts.
She started thrashing around, screaming, desperate to get her mind working. When she tried writing them down she found herself unable to remember how any single letter was drawn. She started trembling.
This couldn’t be, she was Annabeth Chase, the smartest demigod of her age. The most resourceful. She’d find a way around that stupid curse.
But nothing worked, she couldn’t write any single letter in any single language, she had learned morse code, but was unable to make out any sense of the dots and dashes. Same with numbers. It was like she really had been cut off from her own brain. Nothing Annabeth had tried worked, so she started crying, desperately. She had lost everything. Her skills, her brain and her boyfriend. Everything she had ever cared about.
Percy, oh Percy. Her beautiful, lovely Seaweed Brain, even him, had abandoned her in the end. He had chosen death before her. And all had been her fault.
The members of the seven finally reached a coast, Annabeth had been taken by Polybotes and Percy had rushed after her. Of all the things they could’ve expected, what they found was probably the most terrifying sight they could’ve ever expected.
Annabeth was sitting on the beach, crying disconsolately, no trail of the son of Poseidon. As they approached her they noticed something on her forehead, Jason tried to read it, but he couldn’t decipher it.
“It’s Greek,” He turned to Leo and Piper. “Can any of you read it?”
His two friends were frozen in shock. Worried, he tried to shake them out of it. “What is it? What does it say?”
Piper remained completely gape-mouthed, much to his frustration. But Leo managed to utter what the words meant. And Jason finally realized the true scope of all their problems.
“Look upon the murderer of Perseus Jackson, son of Poseidon and hero of Olympus. May this person never receive Xenia or mercy from any creature in the earth, less they want to face the fury of the sea.”