Always Protect

Chapter 29

Percy stood before a gaping pit, the darkness of the cavern he was in pressing in on him. Gray mist creatures churned all around him, whispering incoherently. Spirits of the dead playing like clouds of smoke. They tugged at his clothes, beckoning him away from the edge but he resisted their pleas, feeling compelled forward.

Looking down made him dizzy. The darkness was so completely all-encompassing that he knew it must be bottomless. And yet, he couldn't help but feeling that something was trying to rise from the abyss, something huge and evil. Its presence was oppressive.

"The little hero," an amused voice echoed from far down in the darkness, its source obscured. "Too weak, too young, but perhaps you will do."

The voice felt ancient, cold and heavy. It wrapped around Percy like sheets of lead, weighing him down.

"They have misled you, boy," it said. "Barter with me. I will give you what you want."

He had stopped listening, the word 'boy' hitting him like a bucket of ice water, but his attention was recaptured as a golden image appeared over the pit. It was Harry, frozen in the moment of his... disappearance. His emerald eyes wide in fear.

Percy tried to cry out for him but his voice wouldn't work. Cold laughter rumbled deep within the chasm as an invisible force pulled him forward. He dug his heels in, standing firm to avoid tumbling into the pit.

"Help me rise, boy." The voice became hungrier. "Bring me the bolt. Strike a blow against the treacherous gods!"

The spirits of the dead continued to whisper, growing louder until their words gained meaning, "No! Wake!"

The image of Harry faded as the darkness ensnared him, acting as shackles leading into the chasm. It was then that he realized that the being within wasn't trying to pull Percy down, it was using him to pull itself out.

"Good," it crooned. "Good."

"Wake!" The dead cried, their whispers becoming hollow shrieks. "Wake!"

<><><>

When Percy woke up, Annabeth was already up and had packed everything but three water bottles, six Twinkies and a bag of nacho flavoured crisps.

"Just in time, I just finished making breakfast." She said with a smirk. "Do you want to wake this one or shall I?"

Percy took a moment to breathe, pushing his hair out of his face with a trembling hand.

"Yeah, I can wake him." He said with a smile that felt all too brittle.

There was a tug in his gut as he summoned water from a nearby river and doused their sleeping companion who shot up with a gasp.

"Merlin's pants that's cold!"

After that, Percy's smile became a bit more real.

"Yeah, ha ha, very funny. Now could you please dry me off? I'd rather not have to deal with hypothermia on this trip."

Percy chuckled but put his hand on his house mate's shoulder and willed him dry.

"Well that's handy."

"Alright," Percy said as he opened his twinkie, "what are we doing now?"

"Well gentlemen, if you glance slightly to your left you'll find a train track. There's a west-bound train leaving at noon." Annabeth said smugly.

"And how do you know this?" Castor asked, starting on his own little breakfast.

"I may have taken a small trip into town before you guys woke up."