• Chapter Eight •
• PERCY •
Percy instinctively reached for Riptide, but it wasn't there. That stupid god Dolus had nicked it.
"Who is it?" he asked Annabeth.
She rolled her eyes. "Percy, just how stupid are you?"
"Um..."
"If I knew who it was, don't you think I would be a little less cautious?" She nodded down at her dagger, which she had drawn.
"I..."
Annabeth groaned. "Just shut up."
She stepped forwards. "My name is -"
"I know who you are." The dark silhouette of a tall person could be seen.
Annabeth's face paled. "Step forwards."
"Do not command me, Annabeth Chase!" the voice thundered.
Percy hated this cloak-and-dagger feeling. He never knew who they were facing in Tartarus. "I... I know your voice."
"Do you recognise her, Percy?" Annabeth was shaking a little.
Percy thought hard. "Kind of. But..."
The truth was, he couldn't place who the voice belonged to. It sounded familiar, but it was full of bitterness and anger and resentment, along with a sort of prolonged sadness.
"Percy Jackson." The voice seemed even sadder. "Surely you must remember me?
"I..."
"Am I that forgotten? So forgotten that the greatest demigod since Hercules has forgotten me? Well. I suppose I am only a mere child of Aphrodite."
The person took a step forwards. Or rather, they floated forwards, because they were dead. It was a young girl, around the age of sixteen. Her dark brown hair was pulled back into a high ponytail, showing off her spot-free tanned forehead. She had soft friendly blue eyes that sparkled with sorrow. She had perfect white teeth, a cute button nose and dimples in her cheeks that might once have been rosy. A pink tee that read CRAZY 4 LURV hugged her figure and was paired with cameo shorts. She wore brown lace-up hiker boots and was adorned with a leather bag. A small pink flower rested in her hair. Around her neck was a necklace - with three beads representing her years.
"Silena Beauregard," Percy said.
"Leader of the Aphrodite cabin," Annabeth added.
Silena nodded and looked at Percy. "Grover warned you to find me, Percy, in your dream. He told you it was essential for your quest."
Annabeth threw her boyfriend an angry look. "Did he now?"
"I'll tell you later," Percy promised. Then he turned back to Silena. "Grover told me ghosts can't be found willingly because of Hades. No offence, but I wasn't actually looking for you at this moment."
Silena nodded sadly. "Of course you weren't. I died a painful death, a heroic death that had no heroism at all. I sacrificed myself to bring the Ares cabin to war. It is my fault so many people died. Kronos was my leader. I was dumb. Charles Beckendorf died in my name."
Her words were full of agony and remorse that Percy couldn't help feeling sorry for her.
Annabeth sheathed her knife and held out her hands in apology. "Silena, nobody blames you. We all forgave you. We gave you a shroud, which both Aphrodite and Ares claimed for their cabins. You were a hero in the end."
"So I was told." Silena looked away. "I will never forgive myself. What I did was treacherous. My boyfriend died because of me. When I joined him in the Underworld, I had hoped... I had hoped he would forgive me."
"Of course he would, Silena!" Annabeth reassured her.
"Nico told us that he was waiting for a special someone," Percy said. "That person was obviously you."
"He was offered Elysium, the chance for rebirth." Tears trickled down Silena's face. "He told them no. He had to go somewhere. So..."
Percy felt the blood drain from his face. "They didn't. Not Beckendorf. They couldn't!"
"The Fields of Asphodel," Annabeth guessed.
Silena made a strangled noise. "I was sent to the Fields of Punishment for being a spy. I deserved it. But I never found Charlie. I did this to him, made him wait... and he was sent to the place where you forget who you are and everything about you!"
Annabeth gently took a step towards Silena. "It's okay. Beckendorf... he would want what's best for you."
"No he wouldn't!" Silena shouted. "The Fields of Asphodel rob you of your life! They make you forget who you are. They make you forget your whole life. Charlie doesn't want anything because he can't! He's a floating mess!"
Her fists were clenched. Annabeth reached for her, but her hand just went through Silena's aura. Silena wavered like a hologram.
"Stay away from me, Annabeth Chase!" Silena shrieked. "It is your fault I am here."
Percy looked at Annabeth, then back at Silena. "That's not true. Leave her alone!"
"Oh, but it is her fault, Percy!" Silena laughed callously. "The Titan War is her fault! People died because of her. Because she let Luke Castellan live. She had the chance to kill him, but she let him LIVE!"
Annabeth sighed. "The time wasn't right, Silena. If I had killed him then -"
"- then so many people would've lived," Silena suggested coldly. "The prophecy wouldn't have come true. Percy wouldn't be the child of the Great Prophecy. The Prophecy of Seven would've yet been revealed. Hundreds of innocent campers would've survived!"
"Like you?" Percy spat. Rage filled him. Annabeth was not to blame. A few months before Luke became Kronos, he had visited Annabeth under the white flag of truce, begging her to run away with him. But she had refused. She could've killed him, but she didn't, because Annabeth wasn't that sort of person. She believed in second chances, because she had a good heart.
Silena scowled. "No, not me. I was a spy and I admit that, and I deserved everything I got. But people - Michael Yew, the Ares girl eaten by the Lydian Drakon - many more dead. Lord Hades was overrun by death. He almost couldn't handle it. And then he let some of us go, just like that, into Tartarus. On Nico di Angelo's request. Foolish boy."
"What happened to you, Silena?" Percy asked. "You've become so, so..."
"Twisted?" Silena offered. "Yes. Drifting round this hellhole for two months is enough to drive anyone mad. It gives you time to think."
Her eyes weren't as soft and friendly as Percy had thought. Behind them was a sense of insecurity and, more blatantly, insanity.
"You want me to guide you to the Doors of Death," she said, looking at Percy.
"If you could just tell us where -" Annabeth began, but then she stopped herself. "Actually, maybe Percy should do the talking, since I don't know anything!"
Percy felt guilty, but now wasn't the time for an argument which he would definitely lose. "Silena. I know you're angry with us -"
"Oh, I'm not just angry with you, Percy," Silena said. Her eyes burnt with hatred. "I'm angry with the gods."
Carefully, Annabeth walked a little closer to the ghost girl. "Look, Silena. Isn't the second Titan War enough to show you that hating the gods isn't the right option?"
"Then what is, Annabeth?" Silena hissed. "Gaia is waking. The Prophecy of Seven is yet another death sentence. I praise Gaia. I support Gaia. And once I escape, I will serve Gaia."
Percy looked at the girl who used to be Silena Beauregard. Sweet, happy, kind Silena, who never said a bad word to or about other people. Silena, who looked after the pegasus. Silena, who led the Aphrodite cabin but broke their passage of rite by staying in love with a guy. Silena, who surrendered her life to stop the Lydian Drakon and bring the Ares cabin to war.
"Silena, whatever you've been told, it's all lies," Percy said as firmly as possible. "Gaia doesn't care what happens to any of her servants. Once she's risen, that's it, she's unstoppable."
Silena faltered. Percy took that as a sign of hesitation.
"If you want to get revenge on the gods, don't do it by helping Gaia," Percy persisted. "She will cast aside everyone and everything. I'm sorry, Silena. I am. But you've got to return to the Underworld. Hades won't punish you. Maybe he'll send you to the Fields of Asphodel. You could find Beckendorf!"
Silena's eyes glittered with hope. "You... you think I could?"
"You have to try," Annabeth said.
"Stop helping Gaia," Percy said. He gestured ahead. "Where are the Doors, Silena?"
Silena licked her lipgloss. "It's true, I know more than anyone. Nico requested I was sent first. But, well... I'm not entirely sure..." She gulped.
"It's okay, Silena," Annabeth said reassuringly. "Any information would be great."
Silena looked like she wanted to cry even harder. "You're so nice, both of you. I'm sorry about what I said... I haven't been the same since - well, since death. You two reminded me what it's like to be human. I'm really grateful. Thank you."
She looked over her shoulder, then back at Percy and Annabeth. "Keep heading straight. Don't ever turn. Tartarus is a bit like the Labyrinth - it constructs itself, does whatever it can to intercept your path. It knows you're heading towards the Doors, and it will do everything it can. Follow your gut instincts. I know, it sounds a bit risky, but trust me. Don't go with your head, Annabeth. Whatever seems the logical path, don't go with it unless you have a feeling, deep down, that you're right. Go the way that seems the most stupid. No offence, but perhaps Percy should lead the way?"
Annabeth laughed, as did Silena. As usual, Percy was overpowered by girls.
"Thanks," he grumbled, which made them laugh harder.
"When you get to the Doors..." Silena paused. "Well, I don't want to scare you, but it's where the daughter of Athena is supposed to die. Annabeth, that might not be you though. You've said so yourself, prophecies often have double meanings."
Percy remembered the day he had read the Great Prophecy that was about him. Annabeth had told him exactly that, from the lines: the hero's soul, cursed blade shall reap. A single choice shall end his days. But Percy hadn't listened. Yet it had not been him who was the hero who died. It was Luke Castellan, Annabeth's first crush, who sacrificed himself in order to stop Kronos evolving to his true form.
"She's right, Annabeth." Percy took his girlfriend's hand. "I'm not going to let you die, anyway."
Silena gasped. "How sweet!"
Annabeth managed a laugh. She had tears in her eyes. "Good old Seaweed Brain."
Silena sighed. "You guys... you're such a beautiful and powerful couple."
Percy could feel his face going red. "Um, thanks, I -"
"Wait, Percy." Silena fixed her eyes on him. "There's something grave waiting in the shadows for you. I can sense it, 'cause I'm... well, dead. But whoever it is isn't happy. They're waiting for the son of Poseidon. He has been waiting for the past few years, after Gaia promised him you would come."
Percy felt like a parcel. Passed from one Percy-hating monster to the next. "Who is it?"
"That, I can't tell you." Silena started to go down the tunnel. "Maybe we'll meet again, guys. If not... good luck on your journey."
She drifted away down the tunnel. "Stay cute and together - you need each other!" she called over her shoulder. Then she was gone.
Annabeth wiped a tear from her cheek. She turned to Percy. "Well. Perhaps you'd like to explain the rest of that dream that Silena Beauregard knows more about than I do?"
Briefly but with detail, Percy explained about Silena and the Doors and what was going to happen to the daughter of Athena. He watched Annabeth's face for any sign of shock or confusion, but she remained stone-cold.
"You should've told me," she said. "About Silena."
"I couldn't," Percy admitted. "She helped Luke. I thought -"
"You thought that I wouldn't be able to cope," Annabeth guessed, her tone harsh. "You thought that I was too weak to handle a traitor. Thanks for the faith, Percy."
"Annabeth -"
She started to head down the tunnel. "Come on. We need to go."
Percy looked after her. "Annabeth, wait."
She whipped round, her blonde ponytail flying over her shoulder. Her grey eyes blazed like a midnight storm. "What?"
"I... er... shouldn't I lead the way?"
Annabeth groaned, but nodded. "Go ahead, Seaweed Brain."
Percy felt guilty. Annabeth loved to take the lead. He didn't like it, but Annabeth outranked him in many things. Although they both hated it, Annabeth was interested. She liked exploring. At first, Percy had knocked it aside as an architectural interest. But now... it occurred to him that maybe Annabeth didn't want to find the Doors.
"Why don't you want to find the Doors?" he blurted out. He instantly regretted it.
"Why do you think?" she shouted. She came forwards so that they were nose-to-nose. "It's bad enough that a prophecy and a god told me I'm going to make my last stand at those flaming doors, but now my own friend said so too! Not only that, my oh-so-lovely boyfriend has been hiding exactly the same information from me, along with the fact that we didn't even know where we going! But I do want to find the Doors, Percy. I have ever since that stupid prophecy came about. And you know why? Do you?"
Percy looked at her. "No."
"Of course you don't. Because I love you, you idiot! Because I want you to be safe. Now, it seems like you don't feel the same about me."
"Annabeth, that's not fair!" Percy felt increasingly angry. "This whole quest has been a nightmare - for both of us! Everything I've felt since... I don't want you to die, okay? I don't want you to because I love you too! And you're not going to die, Annabeth, because I won't let you! Because I care about you!"
"If you care about me so much, then why do you even have to ask?"
"Ask what?"
"Ask if I'm excited to go to my death!"
"That's not what I meant, Annabeth. It didn't occur to me -"
"Of course it didn't! Because you're so wrapped up with your dreams and Silena Beauregard. You thought I still loved a dead guy, so you kept a secret from me. Another point - the lies! Lie after lie after lie, because you can't predict how I'll react. So here's my reaction for you - I love you! But right now, you make me wonder if you feel the same."
Streams of tears danced down her cheeks. She wiped them away furiously with her arm. "Lead the way, Percy."
Percy felt like a jerk. He hadn't even considered how Annabeth was feeling. He wanted to hug her, kiss her, tell her he was sorry. But the words wouldn't come.
He walked down the tunnel, hands in his pockets, wishing he could see some of his friends. Wishing Annabeth was okay. More than anything, he wanted a hug from his mum.
But that wasn't coming. None of it was.
He was alone. And the only other person, the only person he wanted with him more than anything, was going to die. And he was acting like he didn't care, when deep down he cared so much it was killing him.
His life sucked.
********
Silena Beauregard... wow. I kinda made her into an angry character, because I thought I could explore so much more emotion through her if she had her reasons to be angry, her reasons to feel resentful and stuff. Hope it was interesting to read!
And Percabeth... whoa. They had a huge fight! Annabeth did want to go to the Doors, for Percy, because she loved him and wanted him to be okay. But Percy didn't realise that. Annabeth was also holding back a little, because she was scared of going straight to her death. You could understand that, right?
And Percy does understand. He went on a quest to save Manhattan and die last summer when he fought Kronos, remember? He had read a prophecy that said he was gonna die. But he'd misinterpreted it. And now, he's hoping the same will happen for Annabeth.
So... will our favourite heroes reunite? Or are they close to breaking up?
Just remember what I said in a previous A/N and maybe you'll understand...
Love you all!
~ Lauren Susan xx