Annabeth's POV
It was fun being invisible.
Monsters didn't know anything about me till they died. Nobody knew that I was in the midst of the fight. I stabbed a monster in the back. I saw a group of cyclops run into where the cabins were. Alarmed, I ran after them.
They can't get to the cabins.
I stabbed a cyclops right through it's stomach and slashed through another. The last cyclops, who was wondering where his friends went, died soon after. I panted, out of breath from running. I scanned the chaos for Percy, hoping I could see him. I took a blind step foward, and stepped into something squishy. I stifled a scream when I saw it was a body. I swallowed hard and picked it up under it's arms and dragged it across the grass. The warmth was leaving his body. I set it down where it would be safe and looked around.
Percy.
I saw him- him using powers. His sword seemed to be his arm, it was almost kike he was dancing.
And that dangerous dance was inturrupted.
The use of power- it was unfortunatly too much for him. He gasped, dropping his sword. A giant grabbed him by the neck and held him up, but he did not struggle at all. I ran towards him and slashed across the giant's legs, and he howled in pain and dropped him. Dazed, Percy took in his surroundings.
All the monsters turned to invisible me.
~
My cap was knocked off, and it was pretty obvious they could see me.
In a millisecond, all I could see was Percy's back. I whipped around, and my blade clashed with another. I gritted my teeth and ducked under it and stabbed the monster.
"Why are you here?!"
"Cause I don't want you to die you idiot!"
"I love you too!" he yelled.
Something like a laser shot towards me and by instinct, I deflected it off by my blade.
"What was that?!"
"I don't know!"
"Maybe the magic!"
"The candy canes work?!"
"Victor said they're wooden candy canes!"
"I'm going to try one later."
"It'll probably taste woody."
"Woody? Like in Toy Story?"
"No!"
"What were we talking about?"
"What was that?" I prompted.
"OH MY GODS WHAT THE F-"
"Language."
"Duck!"
I ducked.
"I HATE THOSE CANDY CANE MAGICIANS!"
"Would you hate them if the candy canes were blue?"
"... Depends."
I stabbed the hellound in the head.
"What the hell was that anyway?" Percy asked, throwing a hand grenade into the mass.
"Magic. I don't know what it does but-"
Something hit me hard in the stomach and I blacked out.
~
By the time I woke up, there wasn't even an infirmary.
"Annabeth!"
Piper shook me frantically. I looked around to see the big house burning down into flames.
I was lying on the grass and many campers were trying to put out the fire, but it was spreading too quickly. Even the nymphs were helping. A big block of water fell onto the big house, but it had spread too far. Exhausted, Percy stumbled around trying to put out fires while Leo went through fires bringing campers outside the infirmary.
"Annabeth? Are you alright?"
I nodded and stood up, and Piper offered me a canteen of nectar. I took it gratefully and took a swig. A scream echoed from the hills and Percy yelled out a few commands to the soldiers.
"Percy!"
He looked relieved when he saw me, though it was hard to tell through the blood. He hugged me tight shortly.
"Don't go out towards the monsters. They're looking for you- only you. Alright?"
I nodded, dazed by his tone.
His eyes darted around, making ne feel nervous. He let out a sigh, and hugged me again, his nose buried in my hair. He smelled of blood, and the usual scent of the sea.
"Percy."
"Mmmhhh?"
I wrapped my arms around him too.
"Be safe."
"Say something that is possible."
"Come back alive."
"... I'll try." he stepped back. He looked reculent to leave me behind, but he ran to the hills.
"You guys made up?"
"Somehow."
Piper sighed. "Thats nice."
She handed me a bucket of water.
"Put out the fires."
I poured the water on the fire, and it spluttered and went out. But another fire moved on to where it was, and it kept burning.
In minecraft, if you try to put out a fire in a forest, the same thing will happen and you will never ever be able to put out the fire unless you use blocks to put it out. ITS ANNOYING
I stamped on the sparks moving to the grass and splashed water on a burning patch of grass. I sighed and wiped the soot off of my forehead.
I hated this.
~
Jason's POV
Percy didn't look fit for fighting.
The use of powers had exhausted him, as it did to me. He had many wounds, including a spear sticking out of his back. It had been broken to let him move around, but it wouldn't be comfortable. But he fought with such ferocity that I wanted to steer clear. He didn't seem to care about his wounds- only the camp. My wounds felt superficious compared to his, but I could barely swing my sword. My feet felt like lead.
"Jason. Infirmary."
"But-"
"Quickly."
I shook my head. "What about you?"
The look on his face made me glad he was on our side. For a second, he looked evil.
"Don't-"
A hellhound bit into his shoulder but his face expression didn't change at he flipped it on the ground and threw a dagger right through it.
"-make me say this again." he finished.
I glanced at the blood pouring out of his shoulder.
"Shut up. I'm staying."
His eyes flickered. "You can't fight like this Jason."
"You're fighting!"
"I'm a soldier you idiot." he hissed.
"But-"
He suddenly went completely still. A black thing- something smoky and glowing red eyes. Percy gritted his teeth.
"Perseus. This is not the time for chit chat." it purred.
"Run."
I was frozen.
Tartarus.
"Jason Grace. What a wonderful sacrifice." he smiled. Something tugged painfully in my body towards him. I stumbled a step foward.
"Tartarus." Percy warned in a low voice.
One more tug.
One more step.
One more angry Percy coming up.
He elbowed Tartarus in his smoky chest and stabbed him through his face. He dissolved, the only thing was his sword left through Percy's stomach.
"You can't kill smoke idiot."
Tartarus reformed around me. Percy didn't turn around. Something cold creeped up my spine. I didn't dare look into his glowing red eyes. I swallowed hard.
"What do you want?"
I could feel his stare boring into me.
"Why?"
"I- i just-"
"Jason-"
"To ruin this camp." he said, cutting in.
"Why?"
"For Percy." he smiled.
"Tartarus-"
"We'll just start with Jason over here." he said, his knife digging into my neck.
Suddenly, he howled and dissapated into nothingness. Nico stood behind me, sticking his sword out.
"What is a soul doing here?"
I shrugged. Nico glanced at Percy.
"I've seen zombies who looked better than you."
"Thanks." he grumbled. "Jason, infirmary."
He narrowed his eyes. "Not you."
Percy scowled and turned back into the fight without a word.
Nico glared at Percy. "We'll need to get that into the infirmary somehow."
I shrugged. "Lets kill those monsters first."
His black eyes unsettled me. I swallowed hard and he turned away, shadows curling around him. I shook my head and scanned the mob of monsters. I ducked as a blob of magic flew over my head. I glanced up to see the magician guy shooting balls of magic around. He was a human- maybe a demigod. I didn't care.
I knocked him out.
I picked up his candy cane, which was suprisingly wooden. I pointed it at a giant and it flew back a few hundred feet at the blast.
Huh.
I struck down at the tale of the Chimera. It roared and turned around at me, and I almost ran away screaming. I shot the magical ball right in its eye and it howled, so I had the time to stab it's flank. I saw Ethan jumping up, and his sword made a big arc in the air. It swung right through the Chimera's neck, or halfway through. Ethan held onto his sword as the Chimera tried to shake him off, which was a somewhat funny sight. He was yelling out curses, and I was tempted to wash his mouth out with soap. Hazel joined in and moved the sword completely through the Chimera's neck and it disinigrated into golden dust.
"Thanks." Ethan grumbled.
Hazel smiled tiredly. "Your welcome."
I looked around wildly, hoping to find Percy. We needed him in the fight. He couldn't be...
A roar from a giant suprised me. He was holding Percy's limp body. My heart fell down to my feet.
No...
Suddenly, a cyclops punched him in the face, making him drop Percy. I could see Bianca running towards him while the cyclops had a argument with the giant. The giant was angry. Many of the monsters were against the giant.
"He's not supposed to be killed you fool!"
"You nearly ruined it!!"
The giant slowly scrunched up, muttering apologies. I was suprised by this. Wasn't killing Percy good for them?
Percy was leaning on Bianca's shoulder, weaving out of the loosely woven web of monsters. They were too busy scolding the giant for some reason. Percy was limping hard, he was barely putting weight on one leg.
"I'll go to the infirmary with Commander Bianca said quickly.
Percy didn't say anything. He was half conscious and half blinded in pain. I wondered how he was even standing now.
Smack.
Gods, I hated the candy canes.
~
They were easy to use.
And they were easy to get hit by.
And apparently, I had dated a brick.
Now a candy cane.
I rubbed the lump on the back of my head and looked around. My head throbbed. All my other wounds were tended to.
"You're awake."
Victor was staring at me, and I was suprised he wasn't glaring at me.
"You think you can move?"
I nodded.
"You had a nice 20 minute nap it would be weird if you couldn't." he snapped.
I blinked twice. "20 minutes?!"
"Go. Percy's having trouble keeping them back."
"He's still not in the infirmary?"
"He came but only for some nectar. He can't hold out much longer."
I streched and grabbed my sword, feeling refreshed. And then I realized this place wasn't the infirmary.
"The big house burned down with the infirmary. We're using the Apollo cabin." Victor explained. His eyes narrowed.
"Go."
I ran out of the cabin and was frozen when I saw Percy's face. The black mist was back again, suffocating him, cutting randomly into him. He had probably stumbled to the infirmary somehow. He took one painful gasp grabbed my shoulders. His eyes were telling me furiously.
Get this thing off of me.
I stabbed the thing right between it's eyes and it loosened, letting Percy breath. Percy swiped his hand through the neck and the mist scattered for a moment. Then he summoned greek fire, and the mist caught on fire and made a small explosion inside. I glanced at Percy.
"I'm sorry Percy."
I pushed him into the infirmary, hard, and shut the door.
~
Victor's POV
Percy toppled to the floor as Jason pushed him.
For a moment, I nearly killed him. But I knew what he was trying to do. I hauled Percy up on a bed.
"Victor-"
"This is going to hurt."
I pulled the spear out, which was now covered in blood and... Something. He held onto the edge so tight his knuckles turned white. I held a cloth to his wound, trying to stop the blood. I bit my lip. The pain medication could just make him drowsy.
"You think you can hold out?"
He gritted his teeth. "Yeah."
I gave him stitches and he didn't make a sound. I moved on to others, and after the biggest wound, he seemed to be okay. The bleeding had stopped. I pressed his shoulder lightly.
"Does that hurt?"
He shrugged me off. "I'm fine now."
He stood up and walked straight out of the cabin, barely limping. I narrowed my eyes. I knew everything about him was a lie.
I can't stop him till he finally falls anyway.
~
Percy's POV
The battle lasted for about 2000 words. Really.
It seemed interminable. We couldn't seem to get rid of the monsters. I was already tired out, and we had absolutely no reinforcements. I was in the midst of the battle, the thoughts of Tartarus still there in the back of my skull. I knew we couldn't keep him away. He would distract me, and that would cost one life each. I parried a blade. I was getting desperate. I wondered if I could do this.
I had no choice.
I took a deep breath and knelt on the ground, and the monsters took it as a chance. Some reached me, slashing through my bandages and my skin.
I couldn't feel anything.
I desperately searched for something- something that could be used.
Come on. Be useful for once.
Finally, I mustered the last of my power and let a wave of greek fire roll away from me.
I stood up, but I couldn't take in my surroundings.
Something was very wrong.
Camp had dissapeared.
There was nobody. Nobody but me. I stumbled around, dazed.
Wait.
No...
I started to run. Tartarus couldn't have- he wouldn't have the power.
I knew this place.
Where Annabeth had died.
Where Gaea had died.
Where everything had happened.
Everyone.
The seven, all my soldiers, Victor- everyone.
In binds.
Victor caught me with his eyes. The blue flashed alarmingly and I got the message.
No.
I took a few steps foward.
"Finally, our savior has come."
Tartarus's voice echoed dramatically. He smiled at me, his sword on Ethan's neck. Ethan stared up defiantly at Tartarus.
No.
"Kneel."
"Don't." Ethan said. He glanced at me.
"I respected you. The last thing I want to see before I die is you kneeling to this." He snarled.
I stopped. I choked on my words. I couldn't-
No.
I fell to my knees as Ethan's head did the same.