Hi guys, sorry this is later than I promised but it's also much longer than I planned it to be. It's kinda two chapters rolled in one. Thank you all for your patience and support!!! Please leave a comment! Now...enjoy!
EDIT: Sorry! I had no idea there were no spaces in between the lines so I went back and changed it all.
IMPORTANT: Please tell me whose perspective you want to see Percy's memories in because I have no clue.
Piper POV: Chapter 10
Piper didn't really comprehend anything after she opened the doors. She ducked and rolled away from the doors that were being slowly pushed in by the--the things. As she got behind Percy, she saw the demigods lower their blindfolds and outstretch their weapons. Leo scrunched his face up as if he was to the toilet. Piper shuddered, she didn't need to think about that now. The fire flashed into existence in a wash of red and yellow sparks from his outstretched palms. Piper, as the only one of the seven who could actually see, watched as the flames ripped their way through the door and next room over, tendrils of smoke reaching desperately into the roof of the cavern. The beasts, four hulking figures, were immediately caught off guard. They lifted their arms to block out the waves of flames coming towards them and Piper strained her eyes to watch as they panted in pain. Their swollen muscles were singed and soot coated each of them like a blanket; they were, unfortunately, more or less unharmed.
"Go, go, go!" Annabeth called. Piper turned to Frank and shouted in his ears where to aim with his arrows.
"To the left!" and "to the right!" She moved him by the doors and cried, "listen out for me!" This gave Piper an opportunity to shout directions at him while also telling the fighters - Annabeth, Jason, Percy and Hazel - where to hit. Piper walked into the room like the floor would give out under her body mass. Piper felt her pulse quicken as she watched Hazel with her back to the group as she pressed her hands to the ground near the crack in the cave. The air was filled with perspiration and blood, even if none was spilt yet.
"Jason! To the left!" He rolled to the left to avoid a swing at a cut-up monster. Flurries of arrows were shot out from the doors where Frank and Leo were working on aiming at a monster then pulling out to not be paralysed. Leo and Frank were an amazing team, Piper saw. Frank's flaming arrows were aimed at the slow-moving monsters without his blindfold but before he could be petrified, Leo pulled him back and made him let go of the arrow. A plan Annabeth would be proud of, Piper thought. She absently saw Leo's blindfold being slowly blackened from his scorching skin, probably from adrenaline.
"Annabeth! Stab in front of you, then move to the right!" Somehow, Percy was able to knock one of the monsters to the ground, a couple of meters away from where Annabeth was facing. With Annabeth's drakon bone sword being thrust into the giant creature's neck, the thing died. Its eyes lost the milkiness that came with them as they became a dark brown, showing its death. The duo didn't seem to realise it had succumbed to its injuries as they each slashed the beast until Piper had to say it was over. Piper screamed herself hoarse to Jason, Hazel and Annabeth - where to strike and where to escape the monsters' own attacks - whilst simultaneously keeping a lookout for herself and attacking when she could as well as making sure Leo and Frank were okay. There was something wrong though. Well, not exactly wrong, just weird. It confused Piper as she had never seen it in the Son of Poseidon before. Percy didn't need Piper's help to locate the monsters. Piper supposes she should feel amazement, which she did in a way. But Percy had no trouble leaping towards the enemy with a blindfold on with a face of utter nonchalance, riptide cutting deadly arches and cutting deep wounds. Every time Piper shouted for Percy to move away so he could regroup and get ready for his next attack, he just parried whatever hit the monster swung at him.
It didn't make sense.
Piper could feel her sweat running down her back and her eyebrows pinched violently together. She forced herself to focus back onto the other demigods who were no longer struggling with the lack of sight. They seemed to have gotten the hang of listening to the monsters' heavy footsteps to anticipate where next to go, the deep breaths signalling where they were facing and the putrid smell that came with the beings. They, of course, didn't have the precision that Percy had but it was...decent. Slowly, long after Piper had yelled until her throat was raw, the remaining three monsters where they were either killed with arrows piercing lethal points, swords and daggers swiping bluntly or Hazel manipulating the mist to make them bash their heads against the walls. They were forced back to the crack that Hazel had made bigger with her powers, stumbling and bloody. Out of the four original, they had managed to kill three of them, leaving the final one just in front of the crevice. Piper landed the final blow, sending the monster tumbling down into the darkness, its eyes staring into Piper's soul as the howls descended further and further into the darkness. She couldn't help but be reminded of a different time back in Arachne's lair. Piper stepped backwards and fell to the ground in relief. She watched Hazel kneel down and bring the ground together again to erase all traces of the crack. The sound was unbearable as the rocks ground against each other, setting Piper on edge but at the same time, all she could do was sit and let her aching limbs rest.
"Are they gone?" Leo asked, his blindfold only barely intact. Piper laughed, her throat exploding with pain. She coughed a couple of times before replying with a shaky voice, "it's all good. You can take them off."
Leo let out a whoop making the group laugh. Frank poked his head from around Piper's door.
"How long was that?"
Annabeth squinted at her wristwatch which Piper didn't even notice until now. It was weird for a demigod to keep items like watches around for more than a day without them breaking.
"Only around 30 minutes. Nearly a record for blind fighting."
Percy pointed at the watch, "it's sad that we even have a record."
The group laughed again. Never before had Piper noticed how time is so much like water; that it can pass slowly, a drop at a time, even freeze, or rush by in a blink. She swore the fight felt like hours, her feet told her as much.
"Is anyone hurt?" Hazel called out, her arms already filled with ambrosia and bandages.
Annabeth lifted her arm showing off a nice bruise forming. "I am. I may have got knocked around a bit." Piper shot her an apologetic look but Annabeth waved her off as Percy quickly joined her by her side.
Jason too had an injury, as Piper saw a large neat scratch running from his shoulder down to one of his armpits. He caught her eye and smiled to show her he was fine which allowed her breathing to become easier. Hazel helped out Annabeth and Jason while Leo and Frank dusted themselves off and fist-bumped, Frank albeit begrudgingly. Piper was going to join the duo by the old split in the floor before Jason held her back.
"You should have some," he said, offering some ambrosia, "your throat must be killing you."
With no willpower to use said voice, she nodded and gratefully took the square of ambrosia. Comfort quickly flooded her system when she tasted black bean soup her dad used to make her.
"You did amazing." Piper looked into his sky blue eyes and cleared her throat, it no longer throbbed.
"Thanks." She hesitated, feeling the familiar sense of shame rush through her. "I just can't help but feel I could've stopped you and Annabeth from getting hurt. We're already banged up as it is."
She motioned to her sleepless bags under her eyes. Jason quickly enveloped her with his arms and she sighed, fidgeting closer.
"Like I said, amazing. Now, all we have to do is get through the last three rooms."
"Oh, gods. Yeah, I can't wait to see." She retorted sarcastically.
"It's not as bad as you think."
"Hmph."
Jason's melodic laugh filled her ears and she couldn't help but smile. "Trust me. It's only bad for a little while."
He looked somewhere else for a second before focusing back on Piper. She didn't even need to think about where he looked; she knew.
"We're going to see", she paused, "we're going to see...down there, aren't we?"
He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "There's no denying it. Percy and Annabeth are bound to have a few bad ones in Tartarus, but we'll all get through it. They did the real thing so the memories can't be that...bad, for lack of a better word?"
Piper nodded. The two held each other for a moment longer before Jason started talking again. "We should probably join the others", he gestured to Leo, Frank and Hazel who were all in the middle of the room.
Before Piper could respond, she caught sight of the dark-haired demigod talking with Annabeth. "I'll be over in a minute."
He hesitated before nodding and going up to Leo. His worried glances followed her until she reached Percy, though.
"Piper!" Annabeth exclaimed, "great job! Without you, I'd probably be a pancake by now."
Piper smiled before replying, "thanks. Although it was all your plan in the end."
"Eh, po-ta-to, po-tah-to."
"Um," Piper pulled her collar to loosen it slightly, "can I talk to Percy for a sec?"
They seemed surprised but Annabeth agreed and left to regroup.
"Is everything alright?" Percy asked worriedly. It almost made Piper feel guilty for confronting him. Almost.
"How did you see them?"
"What?" His dark eyebrows drew together.
Piper looked away and pulled at her braid, "you didn't need my help for directions. It was like you could see them even though you had a blindfold on. I don't get it."
Piper thought she saw Percy's breathing speed up, but she couldn't know for sure. "I, uh, I used the water vapour in the air. It-it was pretty easy to sense their movements."
He avoided eye contact with her as she mulled it over in her head. She supposed it made sense, it just never occurred to her how powerful Percy is. She wondered if Jason would do that with the wind, or Hazel with the weight on the ground.
"Right, yeah. Well, I guess it all worked out in the end." She gave him a side-eye. Percy nervously fingered riptide.
"Hey, you did fantastic. I'm...I'm sorry if that was a little weird for you."
"No, no. I guess I was just curious." Piper forced herself to shrug casually, there was still something bugging her, Percy wasn't a good liar.
"You did amazing. You brought down like half of them." Percy awkwardly laughed.
"Thanks." He jutted his thumbs out to the group, "we should probably join them."
"Oh right." Piper groaned.
"I'm sure it's gonna be fine." Piper laughed at his expression, lifting some of the settled tension.
"Right."
They walked together to the remaining five as Piper's nerves started up again. It was her turn. The others faced her as she approached, which didn't help at all with what she was feeling. Percy joined Annabeth's side and Piper with Jason. The group were crowded round the ceramic sort plate, Greek etching lining the sides. If Piper didn't know any better, she'd think it was supposed to be in a museum. Piper put her left foot forward and pushed down on the plate until it had sunk back into the ground. As if a switch was pulled, the familiar smoke filled the room, this time smelling like bleach and stale coffee. Piper felt like gagging immediately.
The seven were standing in a hospital room. The room was as devoid of beauty as the two people who sat in the corner were of hope. A little girl with her hair split into two bunches sat with her hands in her lap next to a man with golden skin and dark hair whose arms were locked in a crossed position. Piper recognised her and her father - before stardom, before her schools, before her life as a demigod. The room's walls were simply white, not peeling or dirty, just white. A white so blinding that Piper felt like looking away from but they were already burned in her retinas. There was no decoration at all save the dull pink plastic chairs Piper and her dad were sitting in. At the far end were windows in brown metal frames, only openable at the top. In the middle of the room was Piper's Grandpa Tom. He lay peacefully in the bed, his chest rising and falling slowly, IV's, heart monitors and oxygen tanks were all connected to him. At the foot of the bed lay balloons and flowers for his health. At the door, there were dispensers for rubber gloves, hand sanitizer and soap.
"How much longer does he have left?" Piper started, breaking the silence.
Tristan Mclean sighed. "Not much longer. Lung cancer can be very deadly."
She nodded and neither spoke again until Piper again piped up.
"I don't want him to go." She looked up at Tristan with her tears threatening to spill. Her father simply smiled sadly and wrapped his arms around the small girl.
"Neither do I."
"It's not fair. Why does he have to die?"
"Everyone has to die eventually." He looked back up, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly. "Grandpa Tom was the kindest man I ever knew. He was the best dad, the best neighbour, the best friend and the best grandpa. He loved us so much. I know he's going to be in a better place. We just need to be strong, can you do that for me, Pipes?"
Piper nuzzled closer into his chest. He pulled her into his lap and pressed a kiss into her hair. The real Piper felt her own eyes go misty.
"We'll be okay." Little Piper nodded with resolve.
Piper found herself standing in the middle of her father's study in their mansion back in California. The room had dark leather chairs, studio lights blaring down and blinding her, large windows from the top of the room to the bottom and of course, Tristan Mclean's signature wardrobe filled to the brim with Italian suits and watches. All in all, it was a beautiful room that must've cost more than Camp Half Blood's strawberry profits in a year. The white doors to the right of the group burst open, giving her a nice view of a long, bare corridor. So many times Piper waited outside those doors just to catch a glimpse of her father working when he wasn't out of town for filming. From the doors came in a dark-haired man clad in a silky purple dress shirt, black trousers and leather shoes. The man, Piper could immediately recognise was a younger version of her dad, was holding one of Apple's latest products and talking animatedly into it. Before the doors could close, however, came in a younger-looking Piper. The real Piper cringed at how she was dressed; you couldn't catch her dead in those clothes today. The mist girl was only a couple years younger than her but she was dressed in one of her old private school uniforms, tie and all. She couldn't even remember which school this uniform belonged to. Her hair was pulled into a tight bun behind her head but stands on mahogany hair were sticking out like porcupine spikes. Piper's thoughts, however, were immediately wiped when she saw the masses of tears running down her mist version's face.
"Dad!"
"I'll get there by Tuesday!"
"Please!"
"No? Alright, I'll have my agent book a flight for Monday then."
"Hello?"
"New box office record! That's fantastic! I'll have to get back to you on that though."
"Dad..."
Tristan turned, his golden face flushed in anger. Piper winced as she saw herself shrink under his gaze. This was the first of many times that her father had simply...forgotten to be a father.
"Excuse me one moment," Tristan pressed a button on his phone and shoved it in his pocket. He was clearly finding less scathing words to say to his adolescent daughter. "Piper! Who told Jane she could let you leave? Don't you have school today, sweetie?"
Piper hesitated, "It's-It's summer. I just thought we--"
Tristan's phone rang once more. He held up his finger apologetically. "Would you just--"
A new person came in through the doors. Jane was marching toward them in her business suit, wobbling in her high heels, her PDA in hand. The look on her face was partly fuming and partly sheepish as she joined the duo in the study.
"Piper, there you are! I saw that you left your room." Jane crossed her arms and narrowed her smokey eyes. "Now we don't want to bother daddy dearest."
"How about you get lost, Jane!"
"Piper! Do as she says!"
Piper's dad lifted his phone off his and pointed to the doors. The three of them paused. After a moment Piper's shoulders hunched and caved in.
"Fine." She spat, "no, you're right." Piper turned to leave, her face scrunched up to stop herself from crying. Just before she could exit the room however, she spun, eyes aflame. "I got kicked out of another by the way. Not like you needed to know." She slammed the door shut with Jane scurrying out behind her, their footsteps echoing in the marble hallways.
"Are you sure he can't be here?" Piper asked, her eyes wide.
Jane and Piper were standing outside a train station, people bustling around them. The seven were slightly discombobulated from the quick change in temperature. From cool air conditioning to outdoor California summer heat, even Piper herself felt dizzy. It was the middle of the day and the bus station was packed. A mist version of herself and Jane were standing shoulder to shoulder as they waited for a bus. Piper knew it was the day she was "shipped" off to wilderness school like a zoo animal. By mist Piper's feet was a hiking backpack that was stuffed until it looked like it was on the verge of exploding and a small, business-sized suitcase. Everywhere around the duo was a seething mass of humanity. Piper always hated bus stations. When it's crowded you take in no information about anyone, they are just things in your way. Moving, smelling, awkward, rude things. She remembered how the faces of the city were always looking at her like she was a freak. Piper felt especially weird now considering how all the crowds of mist people were simply walking through the frozen demigods like they were ghosts. Granted, technically they were in a way. It didn't help Piper feel any better though. Piper was quickly brought back to attention when Jane pushed a perfectly manicured hand into Piper's face to silence her.
"Not now." She finished up talking on her earpiece before facing Piper. Even now, Piper wanted to punch that...she-devil.
"Jane!"Jane fixed her impeccable placed blonde hair before speaking to Piper.
"He has more important things to do today."
"Can I not give him a call goodbye?"
"No, sorry," she said, not sounding remotely sorry.
Piper huffed, sending a strand of hair flying up. "Can you pass on a message for me? That's the least you can do."
"No. He's very busy at the moment and he just needs distractions gone."
"So I'm a distraction."
Jane sighed, "that's not what I mea-"
"That's exactly what you meant!"
"Well, maybe if you weren't such a screw-up, he'd actually want to talk to you!"
Piper felt the scathing comment even now. Not that it wasn't true, it just hurt for someone to say it. Piper was always the one who messed up. Jason nudged her shoulder and Piper pulled herself back together, if only Jane could see her now.
Jane exhaled before starting again. "Your bus is coming in a couple of minutes. Just try to stay out of trouble until then, then it's their job to watch you." She huffed. Piper didn't answer.
"Boys!" A shrill voice cried. Piper recognised Medea. She looked like a princess with her elegant black dress with diamond jewellery. Her long dark hair was swept over one shoulder, and her face was gorgeous in that surreal supermodel way—thin and haughty and cold, not quite human. "It's true, I'm Medea. But I'm so misunderstood. Oh, Piper, my dear, you don't know what it was like for women in the old days. We had no power, no leverage. Often we couldn't even choose our own husbands. But I was different. I chose my own destiny by becoming a sorceress. Is that so wrong? I made a pact with Jason: my help to win the fleece, in exchange for his love. A fair deal. He became a famous hero! Without me, he would've died unknown on the shores of Colchis."
Jason scowled. "Then ... you really did die three thousand years ago? You came back from the Underworld?"
"Death no longer holds me, young hero," Medea said. "Thanks to my patron, I am flesh and blood again."
"You ... re-formed?" Leo blinked. "Like a monster?"
Medea spread her fingers, and steam hissed from her nails, like water splashed on hot iron. "You have no idea what's happening, do you, my dears? It is so much worse than a stirring of monsters from Tartarus. My patron knows that giants and monsters are not her greatest servants. I am mortal. I learn from my mistakes. And now that I have returned to the living, I will not be cheated again. Now, here is my price for what you ask."
"Guys," Piper said. "The original Jason left Medea because she was crazy and bloodthirsty."
"Lies!" Medea said.
"On the way back from Colchis, Jason's ship landed at another kingdom, and Jason agreed to dump Medea and marry the king's daughter."
"After I bore him two children!" Medea said. "Still he broke his promise! I ask you, was that right?" Jason and Leo dutifully shook their heads, but Piper wasn't through.
"It may not have been right," she said, "but neither was Medea's revenge. She murdered her own children to get back at Jason. She poisoned his new wife and fled the kingdom."
Medea snarled. "An invention to ruin my reputation! The people of the Corinth—that unruly mob—killed my children and drove me out. Jason did nothing to protect me. He robbed me of everything. So yes, I sneaked back into the palace and poisoned his lovely new bride. It was only fair—a suitable price."
"You're insane," Piper said.
"I am the victim!" Medea wailed. "I died with my dreams shattered, but no longer. I know now not to trust heroes. When they come asking for treasures, they will pay a heavy price. Especially when the one asking has the name of Jason!"
The fountain turned bright red. Piper drew her dagger, but her hand was shaking almost too badly to hold it. "Jason, Leo —it's time to go. Now."
"Before you've closed the deal?" Medea asked. "What of your quest, boys? And my price is so easy. Did you know this fountain is magic? If a dead man were to be thrown into it, even if he was chopped to pieces, he would pop back out fully formed—stronger and more powerful than ever."
"Seriously?" Leo asked.
"Leo, she's lying," Piper said. "She did that trick with somebody before—a king, I think. She convinced his daughters to cut him to pieces so he could come out of the water young and healthy again, but it just killed him!"
"Ridiculous," Medea said, and Piper could hear the power charged in every syllable. "Leo, Jason—my price is so simple. Why don't you two fight? If you get injured or even killed, no problem. We'll just throw you into the fountain and you'll be better than ever. You do want to fight, don't you? You resent each other!"
"Guys, no!" Piper said. But they were already glaring at each other as if it was just dawning on them how they really felt.
Piper remembered what it felt like to be that helpless. Now she understood what real sorcery looked like. She'd always thought magic meant wands and fireballs, but this was worse. Medea didn't just rely on poisons and potions. Her most potent weapon was her voice.
Leo scowled. "Jason's always the star. He always gets the attention and takes me for granted."
"You're annoying, Leo," Jason said. "You never take anything seriously. You can't even fix a dragon."
"Stop!" Piper pleaded, but both drew weapons—Jason his gold sword, and Leo a hammer from his tool belt.
"Let them go, Piper," Medea urged. "I'm doing you a favour. Let it happen now, and it will make your choice so much easier. Enceladus will be pleased. You could have your father back today!" Medea's charm speak didn't work on her, but the sorceress still had a persuasive voice.
"You work for Enceladus," she said.
Medea laughed. "Serve a giant? No. But we all serve the same greater cause—a patron you cannot begin to challenge. Walk away, child of Aphrodite. This does not have to be your death, too. Save yourself, and your father can go free."
Leo and Jason were still facing off, ready to fight, but they looked unsteady and confused—waiting for another order.
"Listen to me, girl." Medea plucked a diamond off her bracelet and threw it into a spray of water from the fountain. As it passed through the multicoloured light, Medea said, "O Iris, goddess of the rainbow, show me the office of Tristan McLean."
The mist shimmered, and Piper saw her father's study. Sitting behind his desk, talking on the phone, was her dad's assistant, Jane.
"Hello, Jane," Medea said. Jane hung up the phone calmly.
"How can I help you, ma'am? Hello, Piper."
"You—" Mist Piper looked so angry it looked like she could hardly talk.
"Yes, child," Medea said. "Your father's assistant. Quite easy to manipulate. An organized mind for a mortal, but incredibly weak."
"Thank you, ma'am," Jane said.
"Don't mention it," Medea said. "I just wanted to congratulate you, Jane. Getting Mr McLean to leave town so suddenly, take his jet to Oakland without alerting the press or the police—well done! No one seems to know where he's gone. And telling him his daughter's life was on the line, that was a nice touch to get his cooperation."
"Yes," Jane agreed in a bland tone as if she were sleepwalking. "He was quite cooperative when he believed Piper was in danger."
Mist Piper looked down at her dagger. The blade trembled in her hand. Piper never realised how terrified she looked.
"I may have new orders for you, Jane," Medea said. "If the girl cooperates, it may be time for Mr McLean to come home. Would you arrange a suitable cover story for his absence, just in case? And I imagine the poor man will need some time in a psychiatric hospital."
"Yes, ma'am. I will stand by."
The image faded, and Medea turned to Piper grinning like a banshee. Even now, it sent shivers down Piper's spine. Before Piper could witness what she knew would be the upcoming fight, the mist rippled and the seven were ripped from the scene. Piper and the group were standing over a mist version of Piper, Leo and Jason and her father, the latter of whom was shivering and crying. It broke Piper's heart to see her father like this but she knew it would be okay, the only solace she had.
"No," her dad muttered, as they picked him up off the ground. "Piper, what—there were monsters—there were monsters—"
Piper looked like she needed both Leo's and Jason's help to hold him, while Coach Hedge gathered supplies. The demigods each bore their own saddened expressions, sweat dripping off their skin.
"It'll be okay, Dad," she said, making her voice as soothing as possible. "These people are my friends. We're going to help you. You're safe now."
The demigods carried him to a red helicopter that was waiting on some grass. There was a woman waiting for them, her face the picture of astonishment. Tristan blinked and looked up at helicopter rotors.
"Blades. They had a machine with so many blades. They had six arms ..." When they got him to the bay doors, the pilot came over to help.
"What's wrong with him?" she asked.
"Smoke inhalation," Jason suggested. "Or heat exhaustion."
"We should get him to a hospital," the pilot said.
"It's okay," Piper said. "The airport is good."
"Yeah, the airport is good," the pilot agreed immediately. Then she frowned, as if uncertain why she'd changed her mind. "Isn't he Tristan McLean, the movie star?"
"No," Piper said. "He only looks like him. Forget it."
"Yeah," the pilot said. "Only looks like him. I—" She blinked, confused. "I forgot what I was saying. Let's get going."
Jason raised his eyebrows at Piper, obviously impressed, but Piper looked miserable. Finally, they got him on board, and the helicopter took off. The seven were quickly lifted in the air, flying upwards alongside a helicopter. Piper let out a yelp of surprise when the seven demigods were suddenly flying when they were previously following behind the mist foursome. Clearly, she wasn't the only one who was frightened as everyone except Frank and Jason let out their own exclaims of fear. Percy was especially pale. The demigods could see the helicopter clearly as some of them were partly in. All in all, it was a pretty weird experience. Inside, Piper could see her dad shivering in mist her's lap and an older man flying the helicopter in the driver's seat. The pilot kept getting questions over her radio, asking Piper where she was going, but Piper ignored them. Mist Piper spoke a few words to the pilot to convince him to land on the mountain. They veered away from the burning mountain and headed toward the Berkeley Hills.
"Piper." Her dad grasped her hand and held on like he was afraid he'd fall. "It's you? They told me—they told me you would die. They said ... horrible things would happen."
"It's me, Dad." Her lip wobbled dangerously. "Everything's going to be okay."
"They were monsters," he said. "Real monsters. Earth spirits, right out of Grandpa Tom's stories—and the Earth Mother was angry with me. And the giant, Tsul'kälû, breathing fire—" He focused on Piper again, his eyes like broken glass, reflecting a crazy kind of light. "They said you were a demigod. Your mother was ..."
"Aphrodite," Piper said. "Goddess of love."
"I—I—" He took a shaky breath, then seemed to forget how to exhale.
"I didn't know about Mom," Piper told him. "Not until you were taken. When we found out where you were, we came right away. My friends helped me. No one will hurt you again." Her dad couldn't stop shivering.
"You're heroes—you and your friends. I can't believe it. You're a real hero, not like me. Not playing a part. I'm so proud of you, Pipes." But the words were muttered listlessly, in a semi-trance. He gazed down on the valley, and his grip on Piper's hand went slack. "Your mother never told me."
"She thought it was for the best." The real Piper frowned. She always hated that she'd said that; it didn't seem right.
Colour temporarily blinded Piper as the demigods went from darkness to sweltering daylight. The seven were now standing in a gigantic field, greenery as far as the eye could see. The demigods were standing by a group compiled of two horses, three demigods and a god--quite a weird group. The god, Mr D's Roman version Bacchus, glanced at the sun, which had climbed almost to high noon.
"It's unlike Ceres to be late unless she sensed something dangerous in this area. Or..." The god's face suddenly went slack. "Or a trap. Well, I must be going! And if I were you, I'd do the same!"
"Lord Bacchus, wait!" Jason protested. The god shimmered and disappeared with a sound like a soda-can top being popped. The wind rustled through the sunflowers. The horses paced in agitation. Despite the dry, hot day, mist Piper shivered.
"Bacchus is right," Piper said. "We need to leave—"
Too late, said a sleepy voice, humming through the fields all around them and resonating in the ground at Piper's feet. Percy and Jason drew their swords. Piper stood on the road between them, frozen with fear. The power of Gaea was suddenly everywhere. The sunflowers turned to look at them. The wheat bent toward them like a million scythes. Welcome to my party, Gaea murmured. Her voice reminded Piper of corn growing—a crackling, hissing, hot and persistent noise she used to hear at Grandpa Tom's on those quiet nights in Oklahoma. What did Bacchus say? the goddess mocked. A simple, lowkey affair with organic snacks? Yes. For my snacks, I need only two: the blood of a female demigod, and the blood of a male. Piper, my dear, choose which hero will die with you.
"Gaea!" Jason yelled. "Stop hiding in the wheat. Show yourself!"
Such bravado, Gaea hissed. But the other one, Percy Jackson, also has appeal. Choose, Piper McLean, or I will.
"You're insane!" she shouted. "I'm not choosing anything for you!"
Suddenly Jason gasped. He sat up straight in his saddle.
"Jason!" Piper cried. "What's wrong—?"
Mist Jason looked down at her, his expression deadly calm. His eyes were no longer blue. They glowed solid gold.
"Percy, help!" Piper stumbled back from Tempest. But Percy galloped away from them. He stopped thirty feet down the road and wheeled his pegasus around. He raised his sword and pointed the tip toward Jason.
"One will die," Percy said, but the voice wasn't his. It was deep and hollow, like someone whispering from inside the barrel of a cannon.
"I will choose," Jason answered, in the same hollow voice.
"No!" Piper yelled. All around her, the fields crackled and hissed, laughing in Gaea's voice as Percy and Jason charged at each other, their weapons ready. Jason and Percy charged each other, but Tempest and Blackjack balked long enough for Piper to leap out of the way. She rolled to the edge of the road and looked back, dazed and horrified, as the boys crossed swords, gold against bronze. Sparks flew. Their blades blurred—strike and parry—and the pavement trembled. The first exchange took only a second, Piper still couldn't believe the speed of their sword fighting. The horses pulled away from each other—Tempest thundering in protest, Blackjack flapping his wings.
"Stop it!" Piper yelled, her voice cracking with terror.
Mist Piper's voice reverberated in her head as the scene changed for a final memory. If Piper was completely honest, she had no idea what it was going to be. Well, to be fair, Piper thought, I didn't really know from the beginning.
Piper was now aboard the Argo II. She glanced around to know where they were and when. As far as Piper knew, they could be at a memory from the first trip on the magical boat or to now. The boat was currently flying above a parking lot, well, what was left of it. There was a gaping hole in the middle of the concrete that went darker and darker as it went further down. Piper felt dread fill her stomach and sit there like a boulder. She knew where they were, it seems everyone did. There was still a ladder hanging off the side of the ship, descending into said darkness. The Mist versions of Jason and herself quickly came into the scene as Jason flew her onto the deck. Both of them wore relieved smiles as they held each other. If Piper didn't know what was happening next, she would think there was a mix up with the memories. Jason shot back down to help with securing the Athena Parthenos. Looking down, she saw grappling lines shoot from the Argo II and wrap around the statue. One lassoed Athena's neck like a noose. Leo shouted orders from next to Piper at the helm as Jason and Frank flew frantically from line to line, trying to secure them. Before long, the statue was safely propped up on deck with Frank and Jason landing next to it and high fiving.
Leo whooped and wiped his forehead, "Damn! I can't believe that girl actually did it!"
"I'm not surprised." Mist Piper laughed as the real Piper's face was drained of blood.
Oh, Styx.
The group was suddenly drawn to the side of the ship when they heard a series of shouts. Piper could hear some sobbing and scuffling. The real Piper really wanted to vomit at this point. She cast a quick glance at Percy and Annabeth who were both equally pale and ready to vomit. She heard Nico and Hazel still screaming for help as Piper watched two small figures fall into the dark. It was so far away it was nearly impossible to tell who it was. Jason quickly jumped overboard and flew down to help the distressed siblings. The mist demigods who were on board were clutching the side of the Argo II, Leo helping pull the ladder up with a weight on at the end. Soon, one by one, they each helped pull the ladder up until Hazel and Nico emerged. Hazel was sobbing into her hands as Frank crouched beside her and held her. Nico was in a similar state as he stood to the side and collapsed on the deck in silent but deadly tears.
Mist Piper was the first to speak up. "Where are Annabeth and Percy?!"
Hazel only continued to cry. "Hazel! Nico! Tell me they're not--they're not..."
Nico looked up, his eyes bloodshot and his nose runny. He nodded gravely. Piper stumbled back and gasped.
"You're...you're kidding. TELL ME YOU'RE JOKING!" She screamed.
Jason ran his hands through his hair. "They...they didn't die, right? Please tell me they're okay."
"Tartarus," Hazel whispered, "Percy and Annabeth are in Tartarus."
Nothing could stop Mist Piper from crying. Piper had always been so self-conscious when she cried but then she just gave way to the enormity of her grief. She sobbed into her hands and the tears dripped between her fingers, raining down onto the wood of the deck. Jason slammed his hand onto the wood of the fascia, Frank sat by Hazel with his face shocked and white. Each of the demigods broke down as the seven returned to reality, their cries slowly muting out as the Seven disappeared.