Not Your Hero ✔

-40-

There was no trail of any kind in the forest. The deeper into the forest they went, the thicker the darkness became. Ignatius lit his finger and held it out in front of him, leading them with ease as he weaved through the trees, leaving a trail of burning bushes anytime he waved his hand too close to dead shrubbery. They broke out of the dead forest into a large clearing. And in the middle, sat the shell of the one everyone had been looking for.

Maelstrom.
Percy.
Mystique.
Loyalty.

But now Randel understood. Maelstrom had really gone. The body slowly withering away was once the king of this planet. And there, only inches away from his relaxed form, sat a woman, still alive, but her body distorted as she looked at Perseus. There was nothing but fear. And pain.

"Misty! You got visitors!" Iggy said cheerfully. He was carefree, happy. Did he not notice how wrong that the person in front of them was? Perseus looked up, and two empty eyes looked at them. No emotion seemed to register on his face, in his eyes, or even in his voice when he regarded them.

"Finally, you've arrived. I'm very glad to see you." He said, not sounding like he meant it. "Sorry for the mess. I had some... unfinished business before you came. I see you didn't bring your demigod army?" He said.

He leaned, and a pillar of gold emerged from the ground so he could lean back comfortably. "Prissy! Of course, we wouldn't--" Percy silenced Clarisse with his hand. "That was your only chance of winning. I'm afraid that this is where you die." Perseus said, waving his hand dismissively in their direction.

He had turned his attention back to his former girlfriend who still laid on the ground, completely helpless.

A burning sensation skimmed over Randel, and he began to thank every higher power there was for giving him a form short enough to dodge the fire that Ignatius release from his hand.

This form was not much for fighting, and he didn't trust that a bite from his sharp teeth would help too much if he got a face full of fire. Luckily, the Ignatian elf took no interest in him, ignoring him entirely as he attacked the full-grown enemies. Randel knew Ignatius didn't deem Randel a threat since he was in his current form. And maybe that was their only advantage.

Bri had joined the fight, her fangs and Nico's sword clashing and creating an earth-shattering crash. Bri used her claws, but at the distance Nico held her only managed to swipe at his t-shirt.

Perseus had kept his gaze on the female demigod who barely held on to life. He completely ignored the discord around him, all of which he himself had caused, as he watched her die. There was a sickening crack, and he saw Clarisse fall. She clenched her jaw as she attempted to put out the fire eating away at her flesh. But something was strange about the fire. It wouldn't go out.

Finally, when Clarisse couldn't bite it back anymore, she screamed. And everyone fought harder. Skeletal soldiers broke through the earth as Will fell, a resounding thud without a sound escaping his lips. Randel turned his attention from the fight and made his way towards Perseus.

What was he going to do? Could Randel kill him? Even completely distracted, Randel couldn't hold a candle to him. And he still had the face of his host. The idiot with the random floating thoughts. The one who did idiotic things for the sake of others.

The question of if Randel could kill Perseus himself was answered for him. He was almost within reach of him. He was almost there before he became the subject of the empty glare, from the dark, empty eyes as he came closer.

Randel knew he was going to die. Even when he lunged at his former host.

And especially when he felt his neck snap, and the panic he felt before he felt nothing.

🙃 (^_^) 😅 (-_-)

It was dark. Percy was alone. But it was okay. Percy couldn't tell whether or not his eyes happened to be open or closed but it's not like it mattered. He was alone. In his own mind. Finally.

There was only darkness. Void had left him, finally. But Percy didn't feel right. Matter of fact, he didn't feel anything at all. He tried to move, but he knew he wasn't moving. Or maybe he was moving and he couldn't feel it?

But there was a ray of light, and he saw a karpoi, limp in his hand. He watched as the karpoi mumbled a single word.

"Maelstr--"

A jolt of pain spread through his body as the image disappeared, and Percy was encaged in darkness.

That was Randel.

He had held the dead body of his friend.

His friend was dead.

Was... Percy the one to kill him?

His movement still restricted, Percy sat there for what could have been seconds. Minutes. Hours. Days. He didn't know how long it had been before another ray of light spiraled through the darkness.

Expecting another image, Percy closed his eyes, not wanting to see anything confirming the thought that kept clawing into his mind no matter how much he attempted to push it away.

I- I didn't kill Randel.

"Perseus Jackson."

I-I did not kill Randel.

"Perseus Jackson."

It's your fault, Percy! You're the reason everyone's gone!

Annabeth's words rang in his head, but still, Percy refused to believe that he had been the one to end Randel's life.

"Perseus Jackson, for goodness' sake, open your eyes!"

And Percy opened his eyes to be greeted by a gleaming woman of light, and the darkness shied away from her.

"We, young hero, need to have a chat."

And that's the end of this part!! What did you think? Remember when I said I was not heartless a few chapters back? I stand by that. I hoped you enjoyed this part, and  Byeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!
             ~DemonsFromAbove