A wind from the North blows,
Bringing with it those who lie below.
With them, spreads the infection,
to what may be the darkest connection.
A crown forged from the tears of good and bad,
will choose the king whose army stands.
The light leads and the dark follows,
to the first jewel of the girl who borrowed
Then, the dark leads and the light follows,
to the send jewel of a man's true horror
A king shall be crowned where the first king stepped,
putting an end to their world's unrest.
~
Percy had become y deepest fear. And yet, I still loved him the most. I feared every minute I walked or stood behind him. I feared the thought of what he could do if he decided to turn around and kill me. I don't want him to be the reason of my death. I don't want him to be the one to kill me. But as much as I fear him, there is another villain I am terrified of. Vlad. One of the Upper Guards.
He continuously harassed me. I didn't even want to imagine what would happen if I ever stumbled across him in an empty hall or room. There would be no one there to protect me, and no one would even come for me if I screamed.
I was also in no shape to defend myself. I was tiny and weak compared to Vlad. He towered over me, he would be above me within seconds. And even if I did go to Percy after the incident, what could he possibly do? He wouldn't care. He would probably laugh in my face and tell me to get lost.
I try to avoid Vlad as much as I can, but fate is cruel to me. Maybe the fates do hate me because of what I had done to Percy. Hurting him unintentionally and betraying him at the end. Maybe that was why they made my life a living hell. My life had turned into Tartarus crawling up and dissolving itself into my world. And it had. Percy was Tartarus.
Annabeth Chase's Diary Page 92.
~
Slowly, but surely, Annabeth walked across the barely lit hall in Percy's quarters. She had just finished dusting the library and researching the prophecy. Thankfully, this time, Maddox wasn't in the library. Annabeth had purposely left cleaning the library till midnight. But that left her exhausted, as she worked the whole day. The halls were empty, besides the guards that were posted in front of several doors. None of them acknowledged her or even looked at her, they just pretended she wasn't there.
Annabeth was almost out of Percy's quarters when someone grabbed her right arm from behind her and pushed her to the wall. Her head hit the wall, causing her vision to blur but once it cleared, a few seconds later, she was met face to face with Vlad. Her heart froze in her chest. Vlad, she feared him in ways unimaginable. Many of her bruises and wounds were a result of his harassments and taunting.
He pulled a strand of her hair behind her ear, while a smirk played on his lips. Vlad was the son of Deimos- god of terror, and he represented him in every way. He was beautiful, in a sickening way with red-black messy hair and black sunken eyes that looks like a demon's. He was deathly pale, with prominent cheekbones and a huge scar across his cheek, starting from his left ear all the way to his chin. "Well, I didn't expect to find you here at such an hour, what are you up to beautiful?" He asked, his low threatening voice causing shivers to run up and down her body.
She gulped and said. "I was just leaving, I had just finished cleaning the library." She tried to step away but he had her cornered well. "And where were you leaving to?" He asked.
"My-y cell." Annabeth stuttered.
He grabbed her wrist and pulled her closer, causing her to drop the duster in her hand. His lips were inches away from her ear as he whispered, "in other words, beautiful, no one would be looking for you until morning so I can easily take what I want from you." His hot breath only made the shaking worse as she began to struggle against his grip. The hall was empty and dark, there was no way she could escape him. "Please, just let me go-"
He placed a palm on her mouth and pressed down, restricting her from speaking. Her body was glued to the wall and his other arm was wrapped around her waist, only beginning to travel lower. She was doomed. Literally. She didn't know how she would survive this or the aftermath. Vlad pulled at her white servant's gown, creating a small tear. She would never be able to live this down. How would she be able to reach her room that was way below the ground? She breathed in deeply, bracing herself for the pain and the humilation the villains would make her feel.
Vlad was about to tear off her dress fully when someone behind them cleared their throat. Vlad quickly stepped away from her. Percy was standing a few steps away, hands crossed across his chest. There were bags under his eyes, his exhaustion was evident but his fury was even more clear through his eyes. "Majesty." Vlad said as he bowed, Annabeth followed.
"When I dismiss you from a meeting Vlad, I mean I want you out of my quarters before I see you when I leave my office. So, what excuse do you have for what my poor eyes just had to witness?" He asked, clearly bored.
Annabeth let out a sigh of relief, not because Percy appeared, he won't let her go easily, but because she was safe from Vlad for another day. Maybe the fates weren't so cruel. "My lord, I was-" Vlad shut himself up, clearly unable to conjure a lie or an excuse. Percy stepped closer to him, until he was a few inches away from him. Vlad was really tall, but Percy still towered over him. "How many times do I have to say this: my slave, my property. In other words, I get to do whatever I wish with her, not you. Touching or damaging my property without my permission is a suicidal act, clear?"
Vlad gulped and nodded. "Won't happen again, promise."
Percy smiled and nodded. "Good. Now get your face away from my sight, I've seen enough of it for a day, I wish to sleep easily tonight." Vlad was gone within seconds, disappearing beyond the doors that led to the rest of the palace. Annabeth hated being referred to as 'property' she wasn't an object to be toyed with or owned, but she knew her reality stated differently. Percy was scary, but deep down, for some reason, she knew he would never hurt her in ways Vlad dreamed of.
Percy turned his attention to her, the fury in his eyes still not gone. "And what are you doing here, at such an hour?"
"I just finished cleaning the library, I was just leaving." Annabeth said, not daring to meet his eyes. Annabeth wasn't exactly lying, she had dusted the shelves in the library, but she had also done tons of research, she actually had a lead.
"You've had all day to clean, why start late at night?" He asked. He was onto her, she wasn't surprised.
"I had other duties to do today. And I didn't want to bother Maddox with his research, like last time." She explained. Once again, not exactly a lie.
He nodded. "Yes, he told me about that encounter. I was going to speak to you about it, follow me."
Annabeth's eyes widened but she followed Percy as he led her back to his office. He locked the door the minute she entered. He beckoned her to sit down as he sat himself behind his desk. Annabeth sat down on one of the large leather chairs in front of his desk, exhaustion spreading through her when she sat.
Percy flopped his legs on the desk and leaned back in his chair, his eyes not leaving hers. "Tell me Annabeth, you consider yourself a smart girl, right?" He asked. Annabeth was taken aback with the question, she couldn't tell if he was toying with her because he was bored or was trying to get something out of her. "I do consider myself wiser than the average person." Annabeth said, not lying.
He rolled his eyes. "That's a lie, for starters and not the answer to my question."
"Sir, I wasn't lying." Annabeth said.
"Oh, you weren't lying to me, you were lying to yourself. Now answer my question: do you consider yourself a smart girl?"
Annabeth gulped and sat up straighter. Oh he wasn't bored, he wanted something out of her. "Yes, I guess." She muttered.
"Good. Now, do you consider yourself the smarter than every demigod you've encountered?" Why was he asking her those questions? Annabeth wanted to just get up and leave, but she knew she wouldn't make it outside. Besides, he had locked the door for a reason, as if he knew she might try to make a run for it. "Um...yes?"
His smile dropped, he seemed disappointed with her answer. Was she supposed to say no? Was she supposed to say he was smarter than her? She didn't know. Annabeth never knew with him. "Why do you consider yourself the smartest demigod? Tell me."
Annabeth was at a loss for words. She found herself saying anything that came to mind. "Well, I've survived many quests, outsmarted many monsters and gods and figured out many prophecies..." Annabeth stopped herself when she finally figured where he was leading her. The shocked look on her face must've told him she finally understood his game, because his eyes lit up with excitement.
"Well there is only one monster you haven't outsmarted Annabeth dear, and that would be me." He pointed to himself. "And that's only you consider me a monster, you and your friends in camp." His expression turned serious and he dropped his legs down, leaning towards her. "And all those quests you survived, I was with you on almost all of them and those prophecies...well, you've figured it out haven't you?"
"Figured out what?" Annabeth played dumb but she was terrified, he knew. Somehow, he knew she was searching. Annabeth suspected him to keep an eye on her but she had played it well with Maddox.
"Enough of your lies, dear. I know you've been searching in the library. Maddox himself figured it out." He said.
"How?"
"At first , he believed you. But then he noticed that the books you were removing from shelves were specifically selected and when he took a quick glance at the books' titles, they were good ones for researching the prophecy." He explained, his eyes slowly turning red.
He didn't lock the door because he thought she would just run out, no. He locked the door because he was planning on punishing right here, in his office. "Sir, it was just a coincidence maybe. I was randomly pulling out the books." Annabeth had never felt more like an idiot in her life then now. He had figured her out and the look of terror on her face was evident, then why was she lying? Why was she making him more angry?
"Admit it." He said, his eyes fixed on her. Annabeth stayed quiet, unsure of what to say or how to backup an excuse she would need to makeup. She could never outsmart Percy, she knew it. "I said, admit it!"
Annabeth flinched at his raised voice, there was no way out of this. What if he decided to starve her? Have her whipped? Or worse, leave her at Stella's mercy. There was no way she could avoid this, so she might as well choose the only path laid before her.
"Y-yes, I was using your private library to try and crack the prophecy." Tears fell from her eyes, wetting her cheeks as she slumped in her chair and looked down, waiting for her punishment. She didn't hear him get up or come around the desk, but the next she knew was that he had grabbed her arm and yanked her upwards.
"Didn't I warn you?" He asked. His black blood was now showing, meaning he was at his peak for anger.
"Yes, you did. But I swear, I meant no harm, no harm at all. I was just curious." She explained.
"There's no way of breaking you, isn't there? I made you watch your friends get enslaved, I've tortured you, I've locked you up in a cell where the sun doesn't exist and the air is stiff and I've warned you several times of the endless punishments, and you still disobey me?" He asked, his voice low but threatening.
"I never meant to disobey you, I-" He let go of her arm, causing her to stumble a few steps back. Percy unlocked the office door and called for his guards. Once they had grabbed her, he said. "Lock her up in the coldest cell with no food or water until I say so. And then go to Stella and tell her I want to see her immediately, I need to give her details of how I want her to punish Annabeth."
Annabeth began resisting against the guards' grips, but she was failing miserably. He was going to leave her with Stella. With Stella. "Please, I'll do anything, just don't leave me with her, please!" She begged as the guards pulled her away.
"Would you rather I leave you with Vlad?" He asked. Annabeth didn't say another word. "That's what I thought." And he closed his office door when the guards dragged her outside. Maybe Annabeth was wrong about him, maybe he would let Vlad hurt her in the ways he wished. Annabeth wasn't smartest, Percy was.
For that monster, she could only dream of outsmarting.
~
Jason was dreaming, again. For the past week, the same dreams have kept haunting him every night, keeping him in thought throughout the day. Jason felt like his every move was being watch, his every action analysed and recorded. It was an unsettling feeling, but he did not fear it. It was as if something was trying to catch his attention, not to scare him or trick him.
Nevertheless, it left him completely frustrated and feeling powerless. He had lost all control in his life five years ago, he didn't want to lose control of his sanity either. This time, in his dream, he stood in a battle field. Not in the same battle field from five years ago, but a new one. And he knew it because this time, it wasn't his people whose bodies littered the earth. It was his enemy's.
Hundreds of bodies of fallen villains lay scattered at his feet, their red-black armour stained and broken. Jason too wore armour, his golden and white. But unlike before, his sword was stained in blood this time, and for some reason Jason knew whose blood it was. Percy's.
Percy's lifeless body lay in front of him, his eyes shut and his face coated with blood. Jason had done it. He had avenged his people. But where were they? They were no where to be seen. It looked like Jason had managed to tear down Percy's army all by himself. A thing Jason believed to be impossible.
A strong wind began to pick up around him, blowing through the area. Jason already knew it was whispering to him, saying the same lines he had been hearing in his dreams. But this time, the wind surprised him, it spoke and promised something different.
Is this what you desire? The so-called dark king to lay dead at your feet? Some part of Jason knew the wind was taunting him, luring him in, but he didn't mind it. It wasn't his enemy. He wanted this. He wanted Percy to pay for what he done to everyone and everything that stood in his path, he wanted him to suffer. "Yes." Jason said to the wind, a sigh of desire leaving him.
Then swear to serve the king that marches towards the throne. Swear it. The wind replied. Jason nodded and said. "I swear. I swear to serve the king who promises me my revenge." The wind picked up, Jason could've sworn it was laughing. And your revenge shall be granted, demigod. Patience as we come for you.
Jason wanted to ask it how long would he have to wait, but his eyes flew open.
~
Okay, before you all kill me for making you wait for more than a month for an update...allow me to explain myself :). In August, I was travelling, therefore, I couldn't find the time to write a chapter. Second, school started on September 2nd and I've been very busy since then, especially since this is my senior year and I want to focus and do well in it. Also, I'll be changing my updating schedule. It will be every Thursday, but not every week, it will be every other week on Thursday. In other words, there won't be a chapter next Thursday but the thursday after. ;) (SORRY DON'T KILL ME) Anyway, thank you all for the incredible comments and votes, they keep me going!!