After Tartarus ~ HoO

Chapter 2

Piper
No one knew what to do. The next second dragged on for what felt like a year. I was the first to react, then Leo, Hazel and Frank. Jason just stood there, shocked out of his mind "Percy and Annabeth" Jason whispered with disbelief.

Drops of water echoed across the cave as they collided into the floor; it almost sounded like a clock.

A clock to remind us that they might have mere minutes to live.

Percy had open wounds, in which the blood was slowly dripping out and into the floor. He had blood coming out of his mouth that would be pushed out as he attempted to breath.

Annabeths' wounds were mainly closed up, but it looked like that moving in any direction would split them open. She had blood dripping out of her nose and it was staining the rest of her face.

Their breathing was staggered, sometimes they were breathing heavily, others their chest wouldn't even rise. Their eyes were tightly shut as if they were trying to suppress memories or stay alive.

They weren't doing a very good job at that either.

Their eyes stayed shut as we edged closer, their breathing slowly down rapidly. I tried to charmspeak them awake, but they wouldn't wake up.

"Percy, Annabeth, please wake up!" I put all of her force into those five words, but nothing happened.

Annabeth took a struggled breath but didn't open her eyes. Percy coughed, which caused blood to spill out of his mouth.

"Please!" I yelled, choking back a sob.

They weren't waking up.

Percy took in a struggled breath and Annabeth took his hand and as if it pre-rehearsed their eyes snapped open at exactly then same time. But something  was different, I could see in their eyes that they were broken and full of fear. They lifted up their heads even more and pushed themselves back from us. They didn't trust us.
Jason
They didn't trust us. "Percy, Annabeth, it's us. Are you okay?" I said tenderly, crouching down to their level. I looked into their eyes and saw how much fear was in them. "Can we help you?" Hazel whispers, however, that didn't help, it only made it worse.

Tears threatened to spill from Annabeth's eyes and Percy leaned over hastily, keeping an eye on us at all times, obviously not trusting us. Percy wiped the tear away and started to lean into Annabeth. He took her hand and squeezed it. Gods, these two loved each other, they didn't even need to talk to each other and they knew what they were saying.

Percy put on a brave face and opened his mouth, trying to speak, but all that came out was a few creaks and air. "Its okay, take your time. Do you want help?" Leo said, the gentlest that I had ever heard him speak. He held out his hand as Percy and Annabeth looked at each other and slowly accepted the help. I noticed that Annabeth still had her make-do bubble wrap splint on her ankle and Percy was struggling to stand on his own two feet.

"So are you gonna help me or not?" Leo said with a bit more of his normal jokey self. "Oh, yeah, okay" Frank stammered awkwardly. I stepped forward and helped them get up, Percy stumbled backwards and hit the wall. He cried out in pain and Hazel turned him around looked often to his shirt to find that it was ripped and soaked with blood.

There is no part where the used to be orange t-shirt wasn't red, "please" Percy whimpered. He groaned and barely managed to hold up his head. I stepped towards him slowly and he stepped back, with pain in his eyes. "You can trust us, we are here for you" Piper charmspeaked Percy and Annabeth.

I was believing her and going into a trance when I heard Annabeth trying to speak. Her eyes were sharp enough to cut you into two but you could still see that she was broken. I wonder what they experienced down there, maybe they would talk to us and tell us. Annabeth growled while stepping towards Piper "if you dare charmspeak me every again, I swear to the gods-" I step in front of Piper protectively while Percy interrupts and steps towards Annabeth.

His knee buckles and his winces and groans, Hazel tries to help Percy but his eyes glaze over, all he does is give a death glare at Hazel, she lets out a whimper and as a consequence jewels rise around Hazel. He looks at Annabeth and whispers into her ear, nothing I can make out and she calms down.

They are broken.

This isn't the Percy and Annabeth that we knew. Hopefully they are just in shock. Percy and Annabeth struck a pained expression, we didn't know why. Annabeth started shaking and Percy just froze, he wasn't breathing or anything.

She shivered and stepped back, looking around desperately. Annabeth fell to the floor and Percy let out a pained yell and whispered "no, no, NO!" He staggered back and started taking pained breaths. He winced as he hit the wall and froze, his hands were clenched at his sides but something weird started happening.

Scratches started to form down his face and onto his neck and he started to let out a quiet scream but it had as much pain as a full blown scream. He puts his hands over his ears as if to stop the quiet.

His eyes rolled in the back of his head as everyone rushes to catch him when he falls.
Percy
Annabeth falls down and I try to reach her but my hands are pinned to my sides. I am struggling to breathe, my breath coming out in jagged sparks. She falls to the ground and I try to yell her name but my mouth is pinned shut too.

No, this can't be happening. I am struggling against whatever is against me. I got free from the hold and the momentum of me struggling threw me against the wall. The sharp wall digs into my wounded chest and I flinch and cry out.

Annabeth.
Annabeth.
Is she okay?

I see the gentle rise and fall of her chest and feel slightly reassured. A voice that I recognise as tartarus echoes in my mind, making my skull feel like it is exploding.

You can't save Annabeth. She is gone. You are worth nothing.

No I think. I feel a force against me and scratches form down my face and neck. I clench my hands over my ears, even though the voice is in my head.

Yes Perseus Jackson. You will fall and you will BREAK.

The last yell makes my vision go black at the edges. I tried to keep my mouth shut, not to let the pain overtake me. I shivered as my body began to shut down, trapping me in a world full of nightmares.

~thanks for reading, next part to come asap :)~