another short chap mb guys, love you tho <3
what would you guys say to a pj fanfic? ofc i still love annie tho
chapter 23; Khaos' Friend, the Poet
Jinx mentally prepared herself for answers. She didn't know what the poet would tell her, but she was prepared to take it in.
It was just a few hours ago when Jinx was a trembling mess, she still was, but now she was confident. And confused.
Confused about how to approach the dead poet.
She was right behind him, wondering what to say when he began to speak.
"Daughter of Khaos," he tsked, "curious being, aren't you?"
Jinx awkwardly nodded, "yeah, I guess? Can you help me? Khaos told me to seek you for answers."
He growled. "Khaos." He frowned and whipped around to face Jinx. "Scum."
Jinx could practically hear Khaos being offended. "Are you two not friends?"
"Friends? PAH! He is lucky to have been mentioned in my writings."
"I thought you guys were like best friends or something, I don't know." She shrugged, "that was the impression I was under."
He huffed. "Showing him a place of hospitality and he thinks we're friends."
She was starting to feel sorry she mentioned a friendship between him and her father. It seemed like he wasn't fond of Khaos at all, but then again, who really was? Khaos was a pushy, dramatic fellow.
Jinx was startled by his glazed-over eyes, even though she was staring into nothingness, it felt like he was staring into her soul.
He placed a shaky hand on her shoulder, "Go to Ascra."
"Ascra?" She wrinkled her nose. "I'm already headed there." Jinx internally rolled her eyes. If Khaos sent her to speak to this scary ghost for no reason, she was going to be upset with him.
"To become powerful, one has to know themself." His voice deepened. "Unlock the potential within you and end the war with the giants. Visit the mountain where the hunter fell in love himself. There you will find yourself."
"Jinx, they're fading. Think you can hurry?" Nico warned. His voice sounded so far away.
"Wait. What? Say it all again, I'm literally going to forget." Jinx racked her brain, "Mountain? A mountain in Ascra? And what do you mean by finding myself, I know who I am."
He shook his head. "Only time will tell." He began to disintegrate, "farewell, daughter of Khaos."
"What! No, come back! Frankkk!" She turned, looking for her friend's help.
He couldn't help but shrug. It was out of his control.
Frank faced the rest of his troops. "Legion!"
The zombie soldiers snapped to attention.
"You fought well," Frank told them. "Now you may rest. Dismissed."
They crumbled into piles of bones, armor, shields, and weapons. Then even those disintegrated.
Jason pulled Jinx back into the group, stopping her from staring at the spot where the poet disappeared.
"I didn't even get his name!" Jinx's eye twitched in annoyance. She sighed and snapped her fingers, letting time flow back to its regular pace.
The switch-up made the others gasp at the sudden rush of change.
Frank shook his head, he didn't have time to have an upset stomach.
"Hazel and Leo," he said. "We need to find them."
He looked at them like a leader looked at their team.
They all peered across the chasm. At the other end of the cavern, the tunnel Hazel and Leo had entered was buried under tons of rubble.
"We can't go that way," Nico said. "Maybe..."
Suddenly he staggered. He would have fallen if Jason hadn't caught him.
Jinx dropped to her knees, hearing her heart thump in her ears. She could hear her voice. She was near.
"Nico! Jinx!" Piper rushed to Jinx's side. "What is it?"
"The Doors," Nico said.
Jinx gagged, "Gaea, she's really close."
"How do you know?" Piper helped her up.
"I've got some sort of weird link with her? I don't know but she knows we're here too."
"Something's happening. Percy and Annabeth...we need to go now." Nico's voice echoed her urgency.
"But how?" Jason said. "That tunnel is gone."
Frank clenched his jaw. He hadn't come this far to stand around helplessly while his friends were in trouble. "It won't be fun," he said, "but there's another way."
"Nothing in this sort of lifestyle is fun," Jinx grumbled, following the way Frank paved for them.