𝙩𝙪 𝙢𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙨 - p. jackson [₂]

𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒙𝒍𝒊𝒊.

―✧―

𝐀 𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐑𝐈𝐁𝐋𝐄 𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐒𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇 𝐌𝐄.

i had no idea what was happening, but i felt words that weren't my own being ripped through me. i felt my lifeline grow weaker and weaker... i felt myself hang on by just a thread. 

i had no idea if the elevator doors had dinged, if we'd made it out or if this was another nightmare we were living. the darkness grew, weakening me even more.

and then it was gone.

i coughed, groaning as i sat up. my head was pounding, my arms were sore, and my heart was hurting.

i looked around for bob and small-bob, freezing when i saw a tiny man standing above me instead, protecting me, holding a screwdriver like a dagger. i blinked, my vision a little blurry as i tried to take in my surroundings.

white mist surrounded us, while across the room, a giant stood, creating black smoke.

i crawled towards percy and annabeth, sighing in relief when i felt their pulse. they were alive... unconscious, but alive.

"bob, bob, bob," percy was muttering over and over.

i choked back a sob, looking around again as my vision cleared.

the tiny man with a screwdriver was actually leo, and standing across from the dark, smoky giant, were four figures. i recognized my brother, theo's figure immediately. he stood facing the giant, a defiant expression on his face. next to him stood hazel, her gold eyes bright as she faced the dark man. an unfamiliar woman stood next to him, but i could tell by her aura that she was a goddess. there was no other explanation for her power.

the fourth figure, i rubbed my eyes, unsure if i was seeing correctly.

"is that a weasel?"

at the sound of my voice, leo jumped, turning towards me. he grinned, laughing lightly as he threw himself on the ground next to me, pulling me into a bone-crushing hug.

i responded immediately, ignoring the pain in my every bone, pulling him close. after being in tartarus for so long, a hug from leo was like a breath of fresh air.

"you're okay, you're okay, you're okay," he kept repeating. he shoved his face into my neck, holding me close as if trying to convince himself that it was actually me.

"i'm okay," i promised, pulling away and forcing him to look at me. "leo, i promise, i'm okay."

he nodded, stepping back and standing guard once more. "stay out of the black smoke, it's bad."

i nodded, getting up, holding my dagger at the ready. on the other end of the room, next to the giant, were the mortal side of the doors of death.

"guys, the chains!" i yelled... well croaked more so. my throat was still scorched from all the firewater we drank, and poisonous air i breathed. "you need to — you need to cut the chains on the mortal side as well."