Perseus

Godliness and all That Cool Stuff

I stared down at the head of the tombstone mournfully. Carefully, as if it might disappear, I reached down and rested my hand upon it. The cool, hard rock did nothing to ease my pain. If anything, the lifelessness of it made me hurt even more. I dropped suddenly to my knees, bowing my head. Tears stung at my eyes, but I couldn't bring myself to let them fall.

"As long as we're together, Wise Girl. You promised." I whispered, my voice cracking.

I wanted to get angry. I wanted to shout at the fates for being so unfair. I wanted to yell at a Annabeth for leaving me all alone. Most of all, I wanted to scream at myself for letting her get hurt. But I couldn't. I just couldn't. If I knew one thing about the love of my life, it's that she would've wanted me to be happy.

That just hurt even more.

I shot up off of the ground. A hoarse goodbye escaped my lips as I placed a painted gray flower on top of Annabeth's grave. I turned away and didn't look back. I didn't need to, I had the scene burned into my brain: seven identical stones with seven identical patches of dirt, all representing the fallen heroes who gave there lives to save the world. Again.

Ignoring the rain that pelted my gray hoodie, I trudged through the the cemetery to the gate. I let my fingers hover on it for a second longer than necessary, keeping my gaze on the iron pegasus that was welded onto one of the bars to symbolize it as part of the camp.

Pushing the black gate open, I strode through the clearing of the forest that the cemetery was built on. I kept my head down, and made my way back to Cabin 3. Just as I opened the door, a hand grabbed me and spun me round.

"Percy." A voice called out.

I turned, coming face to face with a pair of eyes matching my own.

"Father," I greeted stiffly, "don't suppose you've come to mourn with me."

The god of the seas sighed, looking down at his leather sandals. "I'm afraid not, Perce. Zeus has called for a council meeting. And I regret to say that you're invited."

I nodded. "Chiron knows?"

"Yeah."

I stared into his green eyes, which were surrounded by laughter lines. I gave him a lopsided, and fake, smile.

"Then why are we still here?" I asked, my voice trying to be as light and carefree as it had once been. "We have a meeting to crash."

One godly pep-talk (to himself) and a bright light later, we stood on Olympus.

Everywhere minor gods walked about, going into shops or talking to one another beside a beautiful green garden filled with bright and colorful flowers that gave off a sweet, if not slightly intoxicating, scent. Stone pillars wrapped in vines rose up to reach a nonexistent roof. A light fog surrounded the underside of a white spiral staircase without rails, leading up to a grand set of marble doors, behind which sat 11 Olympians who awaited our presence.

I looked left to see my father, who in turn stood gazing at me.

"Still can't get used to it, huh?" He asked, watching me carefully.

"And I never will, it seems." I answered, looking again at Olympus. "Annabeth did a great job."

Poseidon smiled, giving me a reassuring nod. "She sure did."