❝𝘴-𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯❞
❝𝙞 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪.❞
𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗖𝗬 𝗝𝗔𝗖𝗞𝗦𝗢𝗡 had met a lot of people and he had seen a lot of things that had caught his eyes. But she was a different story. The girl with the long hair was just someone he coul...
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XXXI. THE DAY I TRACK THROUGH MINEFIELDS TO TALK TO YOU
━━━━━━
"We're broken in so many ways,
But I piece us back together slowly"
IT FELT AS THOUGH THEY'VE been running for ages when finally they took a major halt in a room surrounded by cascading waterfalls. The floor consisted of one vast pit, encircled by a slippery stone walkway. Massive pipes on all four walls channelled water that tumbled into the pit. Even with her radiant light, the depths below remained hidden, shrouded in impenetrable darkness.
Briares slumped against the wall and scooped up water in a dozen hands to wash his face. "This pit goes straight to Tartarus," he murmured. "I should jump in and save you the trouble."
If Dodie was mean enough, she would've gone and say Yeah, go ahead. But she was nicer than that. She had the kindest of all hearts. At least, that was what she was trying to convince herself anyway as she said, "If Tyson thinks you're worth the trouble, then you are," she was actually trying to bite back from saying something mean after the whole charade with Kampê. "It's not nice for you to think like that of yourself. Especially after all the trouble."
"You can come back to camp with us," suggested Annabeth sincerely — definitely more sincere than Dodie, that was for sure. "You can help us prepare. You know more about fighting Titans than anybody."
"I have nothing to offer," Briares said. "I have lost everything."
"Don't you think that's a bit too harsh? You're a mighty creature after all; shouldn't you have more pride than that?" Dodie offered, her voice laced with sympathy. She washed her dirtied hands in the water, gazing at Briares with an uncertain look.
"What about your brothers?" Tyson inquired, his hope evident. "The other two must stand tall as mountains! We can take you to them."
Briares's countenance shifted into an even sadder expression, bearing the weight of his grief. "They are no more. They faded."
The sound of the cascading water filled the chamber, creating a sombre atmosphere. Tyson gazed into the pit, tears welling up in his eyes, sharing the profound grief of his fellow Hundred-Handed One.
"What exactly do you mean, theyfaded?" Percy asked, looking around. "I thought monsters were immortal, like the gods."
Dodie took a deep breath, "Well, it's more complicated than you might think. When you consider it, no one is truly free from 'death,' not even those with ichor in their veins. Everyone fades in the end, and that includes gods."
