House of Hades: Percy Alone.

Prologue

this chapter continues directly into the last "Annabeth" chapter in "The Mark of Athena"

"what about you guys?" she asked "what happened with the giants?

Percy told her about rescuing Nico, the appearance of Bacchus, and the fight with the twins at the Colosseum . Nico didn't say much. The poor guy looked like he'd been wandering through a toxic wasteland for weeks. Percy explained what Nico had discovered about the doors of death, and how they had to be closed from both sides. even with the sunlight streaming from above, Percy's news made the cavern seem dark again.

"so the mortal side in in Epirus," she said " At least that's somewhere we can reach"

Nico grimaced "But the other side's the problem. Tartarus"

the word seemed to echo through the chamber. the pit exhaled a blast of cold air. That's when Annabeth knew, the pit did  lead straight to the underworld.

Percy Must have felt it too. He guided her farther from the edge. Percy tried to avoid stepping on the webs strewn across the floor while he walked, but regardless, he got his feet stuck in some loose strands. Annabeth was about to tell him to cut it off with riptide, but he spoke "Bacchus mentioned something about my voyage being harder than I expected. Not sure why—"

The chamber groaned. The Athena Parthenos tilted to one side. it's head caught on one side of Arachne's support cables, but the marble foundation under the pedestal had started to crumble.

Annabeth's stomach churned. If the statue fell into the chasm, all her work would be for nothing. their quest would fail

"Secure It" Annabeth cried

her friends understood Immediately

"Zhang!" Leo yelled. "Get me to the helm quick, the coach is up there alone"

frank transformed into a giant eagle, grabbed him, and the two of them soared up to the ship

Jason wrapped his arm around Piper. He turned to Percy. "Back for you guys in a sec." He summoned the wind and shot into the air.

"This floor won't last!" Hazel warned. "The rest of us should get to the ladder."

Plumes of dust and cobwebs blasted from holes in the floor. The spider's silk support cables trembled like massive guitar strings and began to snap. Hazel lunged for the bottom of the rope ladder and gestured for Nico to follow, but Nico was in no condition to sprint.

Percy gripped Annabeth's hand tighter. "It'll be fine," he muttered.

Looking up, she saw grappling lines shoot from the Argo II and wrap around the statue. One lassoed Athena's neck like a noose. Leo shouted orders from the helm as Jason and Frank flew frantically from line to line, trying to secure them.

Nico had just reached the ladder when a sharp pain shot up Annabeth's bad leg. She stumbled and tried on lean on Percy, but for some reason he wasn't beside her.

Nico turned to the sound her body hitting the floor. "Percy!" he cried.

Why was Nico more worried about Percy? Where was Percy?

she looked around wildly trying to search for him, and found him approximately 6 feet behind him. no, 8 feet. Why was he getting further and further away?

"His ankle!" Hazel shouted from the side of the ladder. "Cut it, Cut it!" 

Annabeth's mind was woolly from the pain. eve if she could reach him ,why would she cut his ankle?

Suddenly Percy was yanked back, and realization hit her, while walking, Percy's legs had gotten tangled in the strands of spider silk left by Arachne. one of the lines of web must have been attached to something that had fallen into the pit..

Percy was fumbling with his pockets, trying to draw riptide to cut the webs off, but he was being pulled back too fast, and the pen fell out of his hands.

 Annabeth rushed toward Percy as he was pulled closer and closer to the chasm. and just in the nick of time, she grabbed his wrist as he fell into the chasm

Percy hung their suspended, gripping Annabeth's wrist as she held his. "Annabeth, let me go" Percy pleaded "I can't bring you down with me"

"You don't have too" she replied "the others are coming, we'll pull you out together"

"No Annabeth" Percy said "we both know you can't pull me out of Tartarus, not when I'm this far in"

Annabeth tried to argue. but in her Heart she knew he was right. She remembered the time she and Percy had approached the entrance to Tartarus in the underworld. even then, standing 20 feet away, Grover had almost been pulled in. how could Percy escape now, hanging directly in the Chasm's mouth?

Annabeth hold back her tears, but she wasn't doing so well. "Annabeth, this was meant to be" Percy words were soft and calm, like a seer predicting his own death. "Bacchus told me my voyage would be harder than expected, and I think I know what he meant" Percy loosened his grip, ever so slightly.

"Percy please!" Annabeth cried "I just got you back, and you want me to leave you again?

Percy was pale. "Riptide is behind you, take care of it for me" he seemed to have forgotten it would return to him "And I'm not leaving forever Annabeth, I'll come back, I'll see you again"

Annabeth chocked back a sob "you promise?"

Percy's green eyes looked almost black, his expression gaunt.

"I swear it on the river Styx"

Then Percy let go of Annabeth's wrist, and just like that, Her precious seaweed brain was gone, plunged alone, into the endless darkness.