Second Chance (Percy Jackson Chaos Theory Fanfic)

Void is After Percy

Percy POV

"There's more to it than that," Chaos continued as Bryson desperately struggled against his bonds. "There can only be one camper that Void is after."

"We know who," Will Solace sneered. "Bryson, obviously! He's such a jerk that it makes sense Void's after him."

Chaos shook his head. "He was never after Bryson."

"What?" Annabeth shouted. "If not Bryson, then who?! Tell us, Chaos!"

I knew. I knew right away what Chaos was going to say. It all made sense now. Why my friends had so easily been turned from me. Why Annabeth had been so easily drawn toward Bryson. Void's powers were too strong for them to resist. They hadn't been able to stand against what he ordered them to do. He had ordered them to hurt someone. One demigod in particular.

Me.

I stood, drawing Annabeth's gaze as well as many others. "I know who he's after. Void got rid of his enemy once- or so he thought. But the one he's after isn't dead yet. And as long as that one is alive, Void can't rule the Earth."

Annabeth's gaze locked on mine. "Then who is he after?"

"I think you know," I whispered. She was so far away from me that under normal circumstances it would have been impossible to hear me. But the dead silence that encompassed camp made it exceptionally easy for her to hear my words.

"Percy," she replied in the same manner.

I nodded solemnly. "That's right. Void is after Perseus Jackson! That means that you all can have hope again: your hero isn't dead!"

***

Annabeth POV

As soon as I met Omega's gaze, I saw the answer. It was so obvious. How could I not have seen it the moment I knew who Void was? Who had been scorned? Who had been mocked? Who had been supposedly betrayed?

Percy Jackson.

I fiddled with something in my pocket, a hard, round object. I saw a flickering glimpse of diamond as the object nearly fell out.

It was the ring Percy had been planning to propose to me with. After seeing the truth through Hestia's fire, I had gone to the place where Percy had died and taken the ring from the ground. At that time, it had been rusted and covered with dirt, but I hadn't stopped working on it until it shone as bright as Percy's smile. Every time someone talked of Percy now, I held it in my hand. It reminded me of both the good and the bad times.

After everything that had just been revealed, I was shocked. Bryson was Void. Void was after my boyfriend, and yes, I still considered Percy my boyfriend even if he didn't want to be. Void was still after Percy. Which meant that Percy was alive.

Why did I have this uncanny feeling that Percy was close? That he was going to be revealed within the next few days? That despite what we'd done to him, he would still be the Percy we loved, yet more confident and powerful?

Whatever happened, I was just glad to know that my hopes hadn't been in vain. Percy was alive.

***

Bryson POV

At last somebody now knew.

All this time I had been trapped. Hidden. Unable to tell that boy, Percy, what was really going on. Void had possessed me minutes before I'd stepped over the Camp border. I knew his thoughts. I knew his actions. I knew everything he was planning, and yet there was nothing I could do to stop it. If Percy blamed me forever, I wouldn't mind. Why should he when I couldn't stop the misfortune that had befallen his life because of me?

Void had taken complete control of my body. My thoughts were still clear. Void can hear all my arguments and fights against him. But he was in total control. He governed my actions and my sight. He did whatever he wanted me to do, whether I agreed with it or it was against my will.

But now he had different plans in mind. He'd been revealed. Everyone knew who he was, so there was no point in hiding. He was going to leave me.

Why was that so significant?

During the long five years that Void had been inside me, I had resisted. Sure, he pushed me away and left marks and memories that I will never get out of my mind, but even when he does leave, I will always fight against him. Those five years, I'd argued, I'd fought, I'd even managed to stop some of Void's actions. At one point, when he'd been planning to kill Annabeth, at the last second I'd shoved him away and directed the knife so that it landed next to her hand instead of in her head.

Void was now tired. It would be great to get rid of him and have my real body and actions back, but that would leave the camp at a disadvantage. How would they know what Void was going to do next?

Before my thoughts went any further, Void decided. He was leaving me, and he was leaving me now. He had seen my thoughts and knew he couldn't risk living inside me any longer.

My hands suddenly started shaking violently. My whole body contorted. My forehead broke out in sweat as Void began his work.

It was the most painful thing in the world.

I wasn't even aware of what the campers were saying or doing.

All I knew was that they were in huge trouble.

Very huge trouble.

I had to stop Void. By myself if that was what needed to happen.

And I resisted yet again.