Extra long chapter Easter Special!!
Percy's POV—
She was gone.
Still clutching the seashell in my hands, I swam upwards to the surface and found Echo looking at me excitedly.
"Thank you, Echo." I whispered. "I'll use it well."
"Use it well." She echoed, sounding wistful. I looked at her beautiful face, but I couldn't pinpoint her exact features. Somehow I just knew she was pretty.
"I'll say hi to Leo for you." I offered. She jumped up and down in excitement.
"Leo for you! Leo for you!" She repeated, surprising me by pecking me on the cheek affectionately. I blushed, still smiling, and caught a glimpse of her face. Her blue eyes were even more visible and sparkling with delight like the light skimming over the surface of the sea. However quick that moment was, I wanted to promise myself how pretty Echo was, but the memory was already slipping away. Guilt piled up into me when I realized how bad Echo's curse was.
"I promise I'll get you out of this curse, Echo." I put a hand over hers. "You deserve someone that loves you, someone that's faithful to you." She smiled, which made her look even more stunning.
"Faithful to you?" She seemed to ask. I remembered Annabeth with a stab of hatred.
"Annabeth is dead to me." I clenched my teeth, rage building up towards her. The worst thing was, however, that I felt a small needle of regret pricking my heart, and I hated myself for it. "It's fine. I'm happily single."
"Happily single." She repeated sadly, still cradling my hand in hers. For a second, time seemed to freeze in place where we were, sitting by the Great Salt Lake in Utah, holding each other's hands against a colorful sunset.
Then I remembered I was supposed to be dead and some god or monster could see me.
A battle cry came from the woods, along with the sound of a monster roaring in pain. Several thwacks followed, and Artemis and a couple of her huntresses came out.
"Schist!" I muttered.
"Schist." Echo looked at me concernedly.
"I'm supposed to be dead." I explained reluctantly while leading her away from the huntresses. "If someone sees me. I could get in big trouble. I'm basically a fugitive, despite the fact that I saved the world." We ducked underneath a rock and hid there.
"Halt! Who goes there?" Artemis pointed her bow near the place we were. I held my breath, not daring yo move. Otherwise Uncle Hades would be pretty upset.
"I found signs of the monster, milady." A huntress pointed in the opposite direction. "Perhaps we should go there instead and look." Artemis eyes the place we were hiding suspiciously but shrugged and jogged off towards the woods.
"I need to get out of here." I whispered into Echo's ear. She nodded, her face looking sober. "I'll see you soon, Echo. I promise. And I'll get rid of that curse for you once and for all."
"Once and for all." She chimed, her lips quirking upward in a gentle smile. I flashed her a lopsided smile before I vapor traveled out of there.
3rd Person—
"Percy!" Hades was waiting for him in his room. "I told you, no sneaking out!" Percy grimaced, but he didn't know any other way to excuse Mnemosyne's teleporting. He discreetly tucked the seashell under his cloak and acted embarrassed.
"Sorry. I'm just so bored here! I only went out to kill a monster or two."
"Kill a monster, huh?" Hades raised an eyebrow, not buying it. "Well, you're late. Pothena was fight-flirting earlier and you missed it." Percy held back a smirk, knowing that he had experienced the best part of his life.
The murder of Max Smith.
"Percy!" Persephone peeked her head out of the door. "Did you hear? Max Smith, son of Athena was found murdered in California's forest." Percy feigned surprise.
"It was about time that little imbecile died." Hades muttered. "I have a perfect plan of tortures waiting for him in the Fields of Punishment. Let me go get them." He had a tone of malice while he hurried to his throne room where the plans were held.
"Persephone, when can I get out of here?" Percy whined. "It's so boring here." The goddess bit her lip.
"I'm not sure. The gods believe you are dead and gone for good, but I have a feeling this war isn't over yet. The demigods and the Olympians are still recovering from Kronos' attack—"
Percy felt a flicker of satisfaction. His plan was working.
"—but I guess you can make a new identity with Hecate's magic." She obliged. "She knows you're alive, by the way. We're close friends."
"I can always use the Mist." He shrugged. "Thanks, Persephone! Tell uncle that I said bye because I'm bored!" He excitedly disappeared to somewhere random.
That wouldn't hurt, would it?
Line break sponsored by Hades' torture plans
"I'm going to try again."
Percy appeared behind a statue and jumped as he heard someone speak. He quickly recognized the voice of his cousin, Nico di Angelo.
"You already looked a bit drained, Sunshine." Will was there, too. "Just rest a little."
"No! I have to talk with him."
Percy peeked from behind the statue and saw Nico crouched on the floor in a graveyard next to a little hole and a Happy Meal. He dumped the remaining contents into the hole and murmured a couple words. Blue mist curled around him and his boyfriend, and an idea suddenly popped up in Percy's head.
He was going to have a little fun.
Will's POV—
"Percy Jackson, appear!"
A misty shadow materialized into the shape of a person I thought I would never see again.
"Percy?" I found the words coming from my mouth as the distorted image of the son of Poseidon stared at us, his old cloak still draped over his shoulders like he was before. Splatters of golden and scarlet blood stained the fabric.
"What the—what am I doing here?" He stole a glance at Nico and his mouth made the shape of an 'o.'
"I finally found you." Nico breathed. Percy smiled sadly.
"I've missed you, Neeks." His gaze flickered to me. "You taking good care of Death Breath, Tesoro?" I nodded, remember how devastated Nico was after finding out his other sister had mysteriously gone missing. Hades said she wasn't dead, though. Strangely, no one could find Frank, either.
Nico flushed bright red at the sound of the nickname.
"H-How did you know that name?" He spluttered. Percy smirked.
"I have my ways." He said vaguely, his voice sounding strained. He flickered once.
"I can't hold you here for long." Nico glanced away, looking guilty.
"It's fine, Death Breath."
I put a hand on my boyfriend's shoulder. "I think it's time to go home." Percy nodded.
"One thing before you go." He held up a hand. "Tell Annabeth something for me, will ya?" He sounded truly sentimental.
"And what's that?"
His mood seemed to darken. "Tell her that I always will hate her no matter what because she acted like such a moron when I was sentenced to death by Zeus, and I hope she drowns because then she'll know that I'll always haunt her." I blinked.
"That was...a bit harsh." I scratched the back of my neck awkwardly.
"I'll make sure she knows that." Nico assured him. "And...Percy? I'm sorry you died. You didn't deserve it. But you died a hero, and I hope you do well in Elysium." Percy flashed him a lopsided grin, but the tiniest bit of malice tainted it.
"Oh, don't worry Neeks." He started to fade. "I didn't die a hero." He vanished without another word.
"Wait!" He lunged forward as if he wanted to catch the mist from escaping. "No! What did you mean by...?"
"I don't know." I whispered. The way Percy said that...it sounded almost vengeful. Like he wasn't done or gone for good. But that wasn't possible, was it?
The words played over and over in my head, sending chills down my spine. If he didn't die a hero, wouldn't he be in the Fields of Punishment? Unless...
"Oh gods." Nico paled even more than usual, making him look translucent. "Do you think...?"
"It can't be." Dread piled up into me. It was possible, and it made even more sense. The more I thought about it, the more it made sense. As much as I wanted it to be fake, there was only one other option.
Percy was a ghost in Tartarus.
At Camp Half-Blood
Percy's POV—
I appeared on top of Half-Blood Hill.
Distantly, I heard Chiron yell, "All hail Percy Jackson, the greatest hero to ever live!" and the smell of smoke burning in the arena. No one else was around, probably in the arena watching my shroud burn. Funny, they're doing a funeral for me.
I crept down the hill, seeing if there was a place I could hide. I quickly ran behind a cabin close to the arena and decided to listen.
"I can't believe he's gone."
I nearly jumped out of my skin as I heard an all-too familiar voice from the wall. The Athena Cabin. I had hidden behind it.
"I know, Annie." I pressed my ear closer to the walls, recognizing Piper's soothing voice. "But it's not like we can do anything about it." I heard the sound of muffled crying. Huh, they weren't at the shroud burning. Oh well. This sounded much more interesting, anyway.
"I can't believe I told him I hated him." She whispered. "I don't know what got into me, I just—" She broke down again. I curled my lip in disgust. "I wish he was here, even if he hates me. I just want him to know that I still care about him."
Dam right. I hate her.
Hehe. Dam. Argh, focus, Percy!
"I'm sure he forgave you." Piper assured her.
Wrong. I didn't. But then again...she did sound apologetic.
"Percy?" Annabeth called out, making my mind wonder if she found me. "If you can hear me, I just want to say that I'm sorry. Please, forgive me."
That was the last straw.
I don't know what it was. It was either sheer impulse or rage or even plain, good old sass. Take your pick.
"Huh, you're sorry, aren't you?" I vapor-traveled into the cabin, crossing my arms. For a second, Annabeth could say nothing. I noted her red eyes from crying and Piper sitting next to her on her bunk.
"I-It can't be." She murmured, standing up hesitantly. "You're dead." I smirked.
"I'm very good at pretending to be dead." I replied simply, side-eyeing Piper, who had Katoptris in her hand. "So, you said you're sorry." She nodded meekly.
"I don't know why—" I held up my hand.
"I heard everything." I said sternly. "And I just want to let you know...I forgive you." Her grey eyes widened in disbelief. I held my arms open, grinning sadly. She rushed into my arms, tears pricking her eyes.
"I've missed you." I whispered. She didn't answer, just burying her face into my chest.
For a second, I thought everything was going to be ok, being reunited with my Wise Girl.
But of course the Fates hated me. And of course I had to be weakened at that moment, dam fatal flaw of loyalty.
Because then, she stabbed me.
ahhhhhhh the temptation of making this a cliffhanger 😭
"I knew you'd come back, you traitor." She spat as I crumpled to the floor, clutching my bleeding stomach. Waves of pain warped her voice and the world spun. I couldn't breathe.
She had betrayed me again, that fucking backstabber.
"I never should've trusted you." I glared at her, ignoring the darkness in the corner of my vision that threatened to make me pass out. I hated myself. I shouldn't have let my guard down.
But they don't call it a fatal flaw for nothing, right?
"Annabeth?" Piper stared at her in horror. "How could you...?" The bitch scowled at me.
"You don't know anything about him, Pipes." She sounded far away when I blinked hard, trying to keep myself from getting sucked into eternal darkness.
"He's a—"
I didn't hear anything else as I summoned the last of my strength to get out of there, no real location in mind.
Line break :P
"HOLY SHIT—"
Valid reaction. For all I knew, I could've appeared in some random person's house and I wouldn't want to imagine what it would feel like seeing a random dude bleeding out on your doormat. Besides, I had no clue where I was because everything looked really blurry, and I was quickly losing consciousness.
"Sadie!" I heard a voice. "Get over here!" I cracked open my eyes to find a blinding light and a guy with curly black hair and dark skin (not racist, for the last time!). His eyes were widened in concern as he crouched beside me.
"What is it?" A girl with caramel colored hair that reminded me of Calypso poked her head into my line of vision. "Oh my gods."
I couldn't hold myself longer. The whole room darkened and I spiraled into the suffocating black.
Happy Easter to those who celebrate! <3