The Creator's Lover

- Thirty-eight: Stripped away -

I don't think I shouldn't be smiling so much while writing this chapter and I feel like some of you guys are gonna murder me.

No hate guys. :DD

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The next three days, Percy and Annabeth were still in the woods. He didn't tell her about the meet with the Creator and Destroyer's mother as something held him back.

Not only that, Annabeth had been acting weird. She would glance around worriedly and expectingly. "Hey, you alright?" He asked finally. Annabeth turned to face him and forced a smile.

"Yeah."

He didn't press as they continued walking. His mind kept fleeting back to what the primordial being had shown him. He suddenly seems so aware of everything around him too. Afraid that something terrible might happen.

Suddenly, Annabeth stopped. "Annabeth?" He asked hesitantly. He placed a hand on her shoulder and turned her around.

She looked up at him and said, "I'm sorry."

Suddenly, a pain shot from the back of Percy's head. He fell to the ground in a daze. What was happening? He was usually much more careful than this. He heard rustling from the bushes behind him.

"Well done, Chase."

Fear crept into his heart as he recognised the voice. But nothing could overcome the feeling of betrayal.

The immortal demigod stared down at her best friend. Regret and guilt ate at her but she pushed them away. She looked back up at the assassin. A wicked smile appeared on his face as he stared at the son of Hestia.

"What now?" She asked.

Smith studied him and slipped something out from underneath his cloak. "What's that?" Annabeth asked wearily. Even though she did betray her best friend, she didn't want to see him hurt again.

"This," he showed the small syringe in his hand, "is a sedative. It will put him to sleep until I am done with what I came for."

Annabeth narrowed her eyes suspiciously. Smith rolled his eyes and injected the foreign object into Percy's neck. The immortal assassin tensed before falling unconscious.

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It had been three weeks and they were nowhere near finding Percy. Agitation was starting to get to them slowly but surely. Hestia couldn't find him through the hearth for some reason.

It was like someone didn't want them to find him.

"What about Grover?" Nico asked suddenly.

Everyone stared at him weirdly. How was Grover going to be able to find Percy?

Nico facepalmed. "Grover and Percy have the empathy link thing."

Rachel snapped her fingers, "Right! How'd I forget about that?"

They iris messaged the Lord of the Wild. "Nico! How've you been and is that Rachel?" He asked excitedly.

"Good and yes but right now, we need your help in finding someone," he said dismissively. Grover raised an eyebrow.

"Who?"

"Percy," Rachel cut in.

A surprised expression appeared on his face. "He's here?" He asked excitedly.

"Yes and no," Nico replied.

Grover stared at him confused. Nico waved his hands around. "Nevermind. Just, can you find him?" He asked quickly.

Grover nodded his head. "As long as he's still on earth and alive."

Everyone tensed at the last word but didn't think too much into it. At least, they prayed it wasn't true.

After some time, Grover whipped opened his eyes. Excitement and worry were present in his eyes. "I found him!"

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The pain was the first thing Percy felt when he woke up. His back was throbbing for an unknown reason. He wrapped an arm around his stomach and let out a breath.

He sat up painfully and rubbed his temples exhaustedly. Why was his back aching? He felt like a huge part of him was missing, but he didn't know what.

He felt his back and hissed painfully. When he retreated his hand, a small amount of blood was on his hand. A strangled cry came out of his throat as he held his other hand to his mouth.

Footsteps came through the bushes but Percy didn't have the strength to turn around. His mind kept going over what had already happened.

"Perseus?" A familiar voice called him and he turned his head. Chaos gasped and knelt beside him. He cradled his head as the son of Hestia wailed and sobbed into his chest.

"Chaos?" Bianca asked confusedly and worriedly as the others surrounded them.

The Creator wrapped his arms around his lover as he cried uncontrollably. "I'm so sorry," he mumbled into the other's hair.

Percy gripped his shirt tightly as tears flowed down continuously. The others couldn't bear to hear the tortured cries of their friend even if they didn't know what happened.

Soon, his sobs turned into small whimpers, but that didn't stop the tears. Chaos placed an arm under his knees and scooped him up. He carried Percy bridal style careful not to press too much against his injury.

When they moved away, the others could see red splatters on the ground. Bianca gasped. "What's wrong?" Luke asked worriedly. The others stared at her expectantly too.

She had tears in her eyes as she felt pain for her friend. "Percy.... h-his wings...," she trailed off.

A sudden realisation seemed to dawn onto all of them as Silena completed her sentence painfully.

"Percy lost his wings."

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As they stared at it struggle to get out, a deranged smile appearing on his face.

"Why his wings?" Annabeth asked as she took a step forward reluctantly.

"Because, they are a part of who he is."

Annabeth tensed as she heard his voice for the first time. It send shivers down her spine and goosebumps to appear on her arms. She finally understood why he rarely came out to talk in person. She could feel his dangerous aura crawling towards her and snuff out her fear. She watched as the being stepped forth into the light and gaze up at the big pair of wings.

"A Fae's wings is the most important part of them. Stripping him away from his freedom allows us to be one step closer to victory," Smith said with a glint in his eyes. Annabeth stared at him wearily but nodded her head nonetheless.

The three of them watched as the wings eventually stop struggling against its cage.

The spy, the misunderstood and the psychotic stood there all with different looks on their faces.

The war was coming and only one side was going to win.