Chapter XII
Percy
I didn't know what I did; the only thing I knew was that Bianca had fallen. I surged through the crowds, cutting my enemies down as if they were paper as I made my way to the warrior that had become one of my best friends.
Bianca fell to her knees just as I reached her and I held my hand out. I fell next to her, Storm Bringer and Riptide shrinking and she coughed up a warm substance. My breath started coming out rapidly and she smiled tiredly at me.
"Let Annabeth..." she coughed violently and red splattered everywhere. "Lend you strength." She finished and she sniffled slightly.
"No... Bianca..." I breathed as another set of brown eyes appeared in my vision.
Bianca smiled sadly at me and her eyes closed. "I want you... to be happy." She breathed and then her head fell back.
My mouth opened slightly and I heard Nico scream.
"Dad, watch out!" I began to spin around, but I was too slow. My mouth opened in a silent scream as my son took the sword that had been meant for me. First Bianca, now... Samuel. Nico took her from my arms and I darted up and caught Sam and cradled him. My son looked up at me with wide eyes and I felt tears fall down my cheeks.
"What?" he whispered as his hand went down to his stomach. His eyes widened with realization and then he smiled a little sadly. "I'm sorry." He whispered and a sob escaped.
"Sorry!? What do you have to be sorry for?"
Sam coughed up blood and his breathing became more ragged. He shuddered slightly and reached inside of his pocket and pulled out a coin. "I... I was sent here to spy on you." He confessed and tears were running down his cheeks. "I deceived you with who I am." He coughed and I shook my head.
"I don't care." His eyes snapped to my face and I tried to smile for him. "I already suspected, Samuel, but... I just didn't care."
Sam smiled sadly at me and his breathing weakened and slowed down. I pulled him closer to me. "Still, I'm sorry..." he coughed and I gently rubbed the hair out of his eyes. "After I got to know you and mom and Annabeth..." he shivered slightly and my eyes widened. "...I didn't want to. I wanted to stop but Void... Void threatened..." his eyes slipped shut and the tears kept streaming down his face. "...to kill you."
His chest stilled as those last words were uttered with his final breath.
Fear and rage shot through me and I shook him. I knew I was screaming but everything was just a blur. Samuel... he had died. Along with Bianca. And Thalia, and Luke and Zoe... they had all died at the hands of Void and I would not lose any more of my family. And... Samuel had died. Samuel had died. And there had been nothing that I could do at all to stop it.
Samuel had died.
Samuel and Bianca and Thalia and Luke and Zoe along with many countless others had passed due to Void. Void, who was destroying my home right at this very moment and gods I had been so stupid. I was so scared of this power that had been gifted to me that I had refused to use it and Samuel had died along with so many countless others and I would not lose the rest of my family.
I would not loose Annabeth, or Nico, or Alpha or Calypso, nor Poseidon or Athena or the demigods of Half-Blood Hill. I would not lose any more of my citizens and friends to Void.
Suddenly deadly calm washed over me and everything seemed to be serene. I gently laid Sam down and kissed his forehead. Nico looked up at me with wide eyes and I stood up. I looked around and saw that everything was almost tranquil. Even the fighting had stopped, as if they were waiting for my reaction.
The power escaped.
Annabeth
I watched in slight awe as the clouds in the sky seemed to darken almost instantly. Forks and flashes of lightning surrounded us and the enemy and the Ashguardians cried out and began to flee. The cloak that Percy was so fond of but had been left in Vanguard suddenly reappeared on his shoulders and it fell down and gently hit the ground. A golden aura surrounded him, and though there were still tears running down his cheeks he looked calm; not the peaceful calm but the deadly I-Will-Kill-You calm.
I helped a citizen up and she stared at Percy in shock. "Is this... the true power he holds?" she wondered a little faintly.
Something was pulling me to Percy; it felt as if I needed to be next to him. But I needed to stay here, for now at least. I felt as if we would need my help soon. "Yes," a new voice confirmed and I spun around to look at... Jezebel? Wait, no, this woman though she was the exact double of Jezebel looked much kinder.
"But... how come it's never been used to this extent before?" the woman wondered and Jezebel's double crossed her arms and looked up at Percy.
"Because he's never had a reason too."
"Annabeth." A familiar voice murmured and I spun around to stare at... Bianca in shock. WHAT!?!?! Bianca smiled a little sadly and another materialized and I saw... Thalia. This day just got even stranger... "We are dead," Bianca confirmed and my mouth opened slightly. "But Percy has ripped open the veil between the dead and the living."
"We're here to help," Thalia stated firmly and through the light appeared countless numbers of people. I saw Luke and Zoe and Sam, they grinned and waved and I felt a few tears trickle down my cheeks. It had seemed to be so hopeless just a few moments ago and now...
"Trust me," Sam spoke up, "We don't want the living to live hunted for the rest of their lives." He looked older again, but this time he looked so much more serious. More like Percy, I suppose, well... more like Percy when he was being serious and not an utter goofball.
"Go help Percy," Luke commanded gently as he stepped forward with Zoe. "We'll make sure that these guys are taken care of although I'm sure that Percy will eventually try to eradicate them all."
I smiled at the man who had been my brother in so many ways and nodded. I held my hand out and my old dagger formed in my fingers. I smiled slightly as the familiar weight rested in my hand; I had missed my dagger.
Luke grinned slightly and I saluted him before I sprinted off into Percy's direction.
Bianca
I watched as Annabeth sprinted off toward were Percy was standing and sighed. "They'll be alright," Luke sighed softly and I smiled slightly as the tears began to run down my cheeks. "There isn't anything Percy can't do especially when he has Annabeth at his side."
I smiled slightly even as the tears ran down my face. I was just... so proud. They had made it this far.
"Mom... what's wrong?" Samuel asked and I sniffled slightly. I reached behind my back and drew my bow and arrow out.
"Nothing," I revealed even as the tears streamed down my face. "I'm just so... proud."
Luke smiled slightly and he held Backbiter out. "We all are," he responded softly as Zoe pulled out her own set of bow and arrows. "We all are."