I 024. I
𝑾𝒂𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑽𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒔
❝ comfort ❞
HER HAND WENT LIMP. It hit the ground, seeming to turn the air cold. The wind stopped for a small moment, waiting, and waiting for the right time to kick in again.
Her body was still warm, cheeks flushed, but slowly losing whatever color it once had. It was drained from her face. Tan skin turning dark and lifeless, like her once bright eyes.
He couldn't let go.
Sounds muffled in his ears while he tried to wrap his brain around the fact that she was gone. In his arms, the girl he was meant to be with, one of his best friends and his lifelong partner, was gone. In a split second all holes of a happy life were crushed once she fell into his arms.
A bundle of blonde was sobbing over the girl. Tears were trying to bring her back to life, but with no success. Anyone could hear the pure heartbreak in her voice as she cried and wailed to the gods to give her back her sister, her friend, her lifeline. But no one appeared to claim it was some sick prank for their amusement. No god erupted from the ground to retrieve her and make her okay. There was nothing.
No grass blade moved. No beat of wind, and the moon seemed to cover itself with the clouds. There were no crickets chirping, or the occasional shout from a camper in the late hours, and the waves from canoe lake seemed to have stopped in an odd manor. That made it all the more sadder.
Percy had felt the first piece of his heart chip off when he was forced away from her body. He fought, he struggled, but he was overpowered by the single sad and broken look Pollux gave him. And Percy knew then, that it was only fig for the brother to share a few final moments with the last sibling he had left, before leaving himself alone until he died.
His sea-green eyes focused on the blond boy kneeling down, cradling the fallen girl in his arms. Their eyes matched—but one had more life than the other. Pollux couldn't hold back his tears any longer, letting the salty water flow down his cheeks and onto her shirt, soaking it with despair and grief.
Pollux lost his cool, or whatever had been left. Vines sprouted from the ground in great remorse for not saving her. They seemed to shrivel up at the sight of her hand lying on the cold, dark grass.
Zoe bounded closer. Her nose sniffed the dark ringlets all tangled together, urging her to stand up. Nothing came. The tiger cooed softly in desperation for her owner to raise her hand and pet that one spot behind her ears where she purred. But to everyone's sake, nothing came.
The second small piece of his heart chipped off when Grover collapsed to his knees. He couldn't stand, and somehow, Percy didn't know how he was. The satyr's hooves quivered and shook under his body while he grasped at the grass and made a few blessings, which would never go into affect, for she was no nature spirit or animal. But the meaning was all the same.
Campers circled the group while holding one another. No one could believe their eyes, or how Percy was even standing so calmly, no tears in sight. Sydney was crying quietly with Pollux and Will was mourning to his cabin. The Athena cabin were all praying to their mother, and the Apollo cabin prayed to their father for something to occur, hut it was still quiet.
Clarisse couldn't even stand their. She sat on the ground, holding the side of her face where a scar laid, and a whimper escaped her lips. It was as if that scar meant everything to her now that she was gone, now that no new ones would be made in combat or spar sessions. Now that they only had memories to hold onto.
Juniper was sniffling, holding onto Bea's arm. They were muttering something in anger. If he had focused a bit harder Percy would've understood, but he couldn't at the moment. Not then. And he wasn't sure he ever would again.
Andrea and Andrew let Annabeth attach herself to them, arms around her shoulders, rocking her back and forth while holding back their own fears and tears.
Everyone stopped as Chiron knelt to the ground, horse legs stuck to the ground in frozen terror and bore. Nothing could have prepared him, or anyone, for that matter. It was all so sudden, so quick, none of them really had a true chance of saying goodbye. And that hurt the most for the centaur. Looking at the girl he has known since she was five. A girl he believed to be his own niece, a part of his family.
There was no sign of the wine god anywhere. Many believed he was recalled back to Olympus, that Zeus forbid him from being there to tear the camp apart, to risk everyone else in his rage. But they all knew sooner or later he would return, and bring this terrible baggage with him.
Percy hadn't even noticed that Nico and Tyson were there, too. They both stood off to the side with the cyclops heartbroken, and the son of Hades dropping his eyes toward the ground, before he stepped into the shadows and whispering something to no one.
Pollux looked up at him with his broken eyes, holding her out to the boy. Gently, he wrapped his arms under her back and knees, settling onto the ground.
There was no way she was truly gone. Percy did not believe that she was. Her curls were still tangled, but mostly from when she had been tugging at them earlier that evening, when none of them knew what was to happen in their small camp. Purple eyes dim staring up at him. It was taunting, in a way. But he couldn't bear to close them because he would miss them immediately afterward. Freckles dotted her her face, cut in half by the scar running along the side and ending at her chin, where he smile used to cross, bringing him such joy he felt that he could do anything with it.
Her hands were cold. Fingers were rough with callous from her years of battle, skin slowly turning cool. Percy just didn't understand why her. The only thing keeping him going. The very thing his heart has settled on when he was twelve, prophecy or not, knowing that she was the one for him and him only. Somewhere in any life they would've crossed paths and fallen all over again. It was the simple truth of the matter.
No sense of laughter or joy would bring her back. There was just no chance she would ever return to wake up beside him in the late morning, groaning about how she hated school, and giving him a bright smile.
There would be no future nights where she would lay in bed with him when they had their own place, wearing an old shirt of his and a pair of shorts. Her hair wouldn't be up in a messy bun that she had put up because she was ready to shave off every curl on top of her head, and he would've still thought her to be the most beautiful person in the world.
No more deep morning conversations and late night mutters. No more small kisses on that one spot on her neck just to hear her giggle because she couldn't help it, before she would pout and go on about how he was just using it to his advantage, and he would always say: "My knowledge, my choice on how I use it."
His heart burned at that thought.
Percy let her go. He placed her on the ground with shaky arms, giving her a longing kiss on the forehead, wishing to hear her laughter on how he only did that when he wanted something, which had been true.
"Oh, Aidan," he murmured with shallow breath.
He stood to his feet and ran.
He had no real destination, nowhere he was truly going. But he ended up on the dock of canoe lake and plunged below.
Ariadne had always told him that water held memories, and would remember everything that happened from the beginning of time to the present day. Percy had believed every word she said.
It all rushed back to him.
Their first real kiss has been underwater, in an air bubble he had made just for them. He remembered the taste of her lips and how they tasted like cherry chapstick, which seemed imprinted in his brain. The feeling of her holding onto him so tightly he couldn't breath, or maybe that was just because he was kissing her. Either way it felt right. Or how she had laughed at him when he dragged her through the water and scared a school of fish, and he was cussed out by a few which she could read on his face.
The seashell hanging on his camp necklace seemed to weigh heavily on him. It dragged him toward the bottom, and he laid on the sand. He always thought that nothing could hurt him when he was underwater and protected from the world, all but Ariadne, who was always with him everywhere.
Percy stared at his camp necklace, twirling a few of the beads around and remembering their quests, which had always been with her. From retrieving the lightning bolt, to sailing through the sea of monsters, rescuing Annabeth, navigating the Labyrinth, and defending New York, it has always been with her.
She had told him every single story of her own beads. She had the most out of any camper there, even most counselors. Ariadne had made Camp Half-Blood her home for more than twelve years. She knew everything about the place, and so much more.
Somewhere the last few pieces of his heart drifted off with the churning waves of the Long Island Sound. He never wanted them back—not without her there.
It was going to be devastating to tell his parents about her being gone. How was he meant to explain that his girlfriend, the closest thing they had to a daughter, was never coming back? Percy didn't have the guys nor the effort to even imagine walking into his room to simply change or sleep, in fear he would see one of her sweatshirts or shirts or pictures of them, and maybe even her skateboard if she left it over there.
There were too many good times of Percy waking up to see her reading a book that Annabeth had lent her, messing with his hair. Too many times had he fallen asleep to the soft, lulling voice that belonged to her and only her. How many times had Percy cradled her in his arms and helped her sleep herself when a nightmare plagued her for too long those dark nights?
Nothing would ever feel right again.
No god could come down from their high thrones and try to plead with him to help again. None of them could make any sort of bargain except Hades in any effort to make him stay with them, or to not leave the demigod life behind. Ariadne was his whole other half, a part of him, and now, she was gone.
Maybe that was the final piece of his heart to leave him. Maybe, the idea that she was never coming back, that she had been ripped away without any sort of chance to have a happy ending with him or anyone was too much for him. For his heart, for his mind.
Water churned around him but he had no care. He could picture her holding her hand out, smiling and urging her to take it. His hand lifted up and met nothing, just empty water which slipped through his fingers. He lost her again.
Something in his mind snapped. He couldn't figure it out, but that made it even more frustrating. But Ariadne was the daughter of the god of Madness, and she was known as the Daughter of the Vines, but also madness. She may not have been a child of the Big Three, but she held enough power in her fingertips to take everyone out of she could.
And maybe she had just down that. While everyone else mourned, he was left with an empty heart and a lost soul, his mind seeming to lose itself.
That was what made her dangerous. Even without her powers and trying, Ariadne could force everyone into a state of perpetual madness.
One that Percy never wished to escape.
***
HE BOLTED UP.
His breath was ragged, his shoulders shaking, barely feeling the hands wrapped around his arm, and the fingers dancing along the back of his neck to calm him down.
Percy couldn't breathe due to his dream. Something about it seemed so real, so vivid, it almost made him think it was real. Or maybe, it was the future, that he wished wasn't real.
"Percy."
That woke him from his state.
Ariadne sat next to him, on his left side, focusing fully on his face while rubbing calm circles on his back. Her trick worked, and his breathing grew steady and normal, allowing him to breathe properly again. She always was good at doing that, calming him down after a nightmare. He was thankful for her.
They sat on his bunk in cabin three. The familiar exterior and salty smell put him at ease, but being at camp was a bit tense, even if he was happy to be there.
He looked at her and gripped her hand tightly. His hands were still a bit shaky, but she didn't mind. Ariadne pulled him close to her to calm him down, letting his head rest in the crook of her neck, running a hand through his hair as a sign that she was there.
He must've fallen asleep while they had been talking. He tended to do that, especially if he was laying on her chest.
Ariadne had been alerted by his nightmare when he muttered, "Oh, Aidan," under his breath. And when he began hyperventilating she kept shaking him awake until he finally opened his eyes and calmed him from his panic attack.
"Did I fall asleep?" It was a rhetorical question he couldn't help but ask. He knew the answer and she seemed to guess that. "Did I wake you up?"
"No," she whispered quietly in his ear, her voice a melody that he was always eager to hear. "I was just thinking. You fell asleep and I couldn't. Your dream... are you alright?"
No, Percy thought to himself. I just saw you die and I felt like I lost myself. I don't want that to happen.
His voice was shaky. "Yeah."
A lie, and she knew it.
Her hand ran down the side of his face, stopping to hold his jaw loosely. Ariadne gave him a soft smile. "What was it about?"
His lip quivered. "You...you died."
There was a single pause before she pulled him closer to her body. His chest was pressed against hers, and his chapped lips seemed to make her body warm; warmer than it usually was. Percy held her tighter as if she would disappear into mist right then and there.
"Perc," Ariadne knew his fears, and she kept her voice light and warm, to ensure that he knew she was going nowhere. "I'm okay. I promise. We're in your cabin—cabin three—and we're laying on your bunk. It's the same bunk you've slept in since you came to camp. Right above us is the Minotaur horn you got when you were twelve, and right now you're holding onto your much alive girlfriend who has been here for years. I'm okay, my love."
"I'm so afraid I'm still dreaming," he whispered shakily. "I'm so afraid that when I blink, I'll open my eyes and you'll be gone. That I'll never be able to hear your laugh, or see your smile, or even hold you again."
Percy had truly never opened up about his fears to anyone but her. It was a mutual understanding. They both had their confidants ( Annabeth being hers, and Grover as Percy's ) but they always knew they could tell the other their problems and worst fears. Both had seen too much. Ariadne knew what he was feeling, and she felt it too most days. That was the scary part.
A small sigh left her. Her breath tickled his cheek and blew past his ear. "I can't always promise that we'll be safe, but I can promise that I'm never letting you go. Even if the sky falls down and we have to hold it together again, or if we are left stranded somewhere dangerous while barely hanging on to the edge, I'll be there. I'll be right by your side. You will never have to fight alone again, Percy."
"I know. But sometimes, I feel like we'll be separated and I won't ever see you again."
"Trust me, Kelp Head, if that ever happened I would tear his world apart to find you." She brushed back the grey streak in his hair, letting him look up at her through his eyelids. "You'll never be without me."
Percy just stared up at her in complete awe. Somehow, through all the pain she'd had of people leaving her and promising things they could never really fulfill, she was so eager to keep her promises and to always be there for others. He had gotten lucky enough to find her in the mess that was their lives. He was glad for it. Despite how much she had seen, her amethyst eyes were still bright as ever, and deep in his heart he yearned to know and hope that that was because of him.
His lips pressed softly against hers.
It wasn't one of those passionate kisses or an angry one they usually had after an overly intense sparring session. The kiss was one of those 'I need you now. More than ever.' A comforting kiss where they weren't trying to see what the other tasted like or tru to prove something, it was one where they just let each other know they were there for anything and everything that came their way. It was one they both desperately needed.
They broke apart only when they hear campers heading toward their cabins for the night. Percy and Ariadne had snuck away during the campfire, and Chiron wasn't about to let the rules break for them. They had argued they helped save Olympus but the centaur just wasn't having it. He would drag Ariadne out by her ear if he even saw her out past when he said.
"I have to go," she said. Ariadne cut herself loose from his tight hold and hovered over the bed. "I'll see you in the morning."
He nodded. Percy managed a smile. "Goodnight."
She pressed a quick kiss to his forehead. She muttered against his skin, "Goodnight. Get some rest, my love."
And she was out the door.
Percy smiled to himself and snuggled underneath his blankets. He thought of how he would wake up and would be able to hug his girlfriend and celebrate before Christmas with his friends, and have a chance to watch Christmas movies with his parents and Ariadne for the first time. It sounded blissful.
His eyes shut.
But they wouldn't open again for many, many months.
***
SOMETHING WAS WRONG. Ariadne could feel it. When she woke up, there was something off about the air and that morning. It might've just been her on high alert, or something else, but she couldn't be sure.
It was December fourteenth and the camp was meant to be hosting an annual Capture the Flag game to celebrate the Hunters arriving. The campers had been planning their game for months, and Andrea and Ariadne were made to memorize every last detail of Annabeth's plan because the blonde was the verge of going crazy. The brunette was sure she would if they didn't win.
Most campers were excited, and a lot of Hunters were, too. They just weren't happy about the amount of boys at camp. Thalia had made sure they knew to be a bit more welcoming, but many weren't convinced. It was normal for them really.
But the Hunters loved Zoe. When many who had fought with the first lieutenant heard of the tiger and its name, they raced to find her. Ariadne had to pull the tiger away before she accidentally scratched one of them due to her excitement. Many of the Hunters kept going on and on about how her cat really was like Zoe. And somewhere, she believed the constellation was smiling.
Pollux and her had sat down and he told her stories from Yale over a cup of coffee, which she had traded in for hot chocolate.
"When you get to college you'll be wanting as much coffee as you can get," he mused, smirking at her distaste to the darker beverage.
Ariadne rolled her eyes. "Sure. At least I won't be taking an engineering course." Her face scrunched up. "Too much math."
He laughed. "Castor was going to take physics!"
"He would've been great."
The duo shared a small smile. Usually, when they had those talks during the summer or winter break, Castor would sit on the armchair between her lounge couch and his regular couch. He would've held a massive mug full of tea.
"He would've had that disgusting tea in his hand," Ariadne groaned. "I hated that stuff."
"I know." Pollux shook his head. "And with that ridiculous Spongebob mug he insisted on always using. It's not like either of us would've used it."
Both chuckled to themselves. Ariadne tossed a few marshmallows into his mouth before they heard the horn for breakfast.
Pollux place down his mug. "Race ya!"
He was out the door.
Ariadne sprinted out after him and maneuvered around other people. There were many new campers that winter season, and it was snowing heavily outside. Her black boots crunched the snow beneath her while campers waved hello and shouted for her to win, which made Pollux yell at the face or not having his back.
Thanks to her newfound strength with her powers, she was able to grow a long vine and ride it like a surfboard, whizzing past him.
Newer campers watched her with awe as she arrived at the dining pavilion and grinned at her older brother. He shook his head and shoved her into the snow, sitting at their table with large pout on his face.
"Don't worry, Polly, you'll get her in another few hundred years!" Andrea yelled from the Demeter table. Campers laughed loudly.
Annabeth gave her a raised eyebrow which Andrea shrugged at, the brunette thanking the girl.
One thing Ariadne had noticed was how empty table three was. Percy was never usually late to breakfast. He loved the fact that he could eat as many pancakes as he wanted, which his mon usually cut him off after four I fear he would become sick. Sometimes the couple would have eating competitions. There was never a clear winner because they would both pass out afterward in their very own food coma.
Her head darted around. She strides toward the Athena table. "Where's Percy?" she asked Annabeth, but the blonde frowned.
"I have no clue."
They both left the pavilion in search of their friend. Both trudged on over to cabin three, and they stomped up the porch, shaking the snow off their boots.
Ariadne tucked her hands into her coat pockets while Annabeth knocked on his door. "Percy, are you coming for breakfast?"
Both of them just thought he overslept and was trying to get dressed. Annabeth knocked again. There was no response either times, and both became equally concerned. Ariadne put her hand on the door handle, twisting it, only to find out it was locked.
Her eyes narrowed. Whatever game he was playing wasn't funny. "Perc, come on. You're making us worried."
No response.
Annabeth grit her teeth. "Hey, Seaweed Brain! I don't appreciate having to wait out in the freezing cold for your ass to get some breakfast! Let's go!"
Neither of them heard anyone moving.
Ariadne's instincts kicked in. She brandished Lunacy, Annabeth pulling her dagger from her pocket, and with a swift kick, the door was jammed and swung open on its hinges. They could fix the lock later.
Her heart stopped once they made it inside.
It looked as she left it last night. It was a bit messy, but what did you expect from a teenage boy? His clothes hung on a random armchair and the Minotaur horn was still hung up. His blankets were half on the bed and half off.
That was when they saw the feather.
It was silky and vibrant. A light green wrapped around a lavender purple, which in turn, surrounded a deep shade of blue. Annabeth shuffled over and picked it up. When she turned, her eyes were set in a steely glare. Both girls knew what it meant.
They raced from his cabin and headed toward the pavilion. Campers noticed their faces and stood.
"He's gone!" Ariadne shouted.
Chiron rushed over. "Who is?"
Annabeth held up the feather. "Percy. And we know who's behind it."
Campers went into chaos. Grover rounded up the satyrs to check the forest, sectioning them off. Juniper gathered the nature spirits, and was telling the naiads to search the Long Island Sound incase he lost track of time underwater. Clarisse and Malcom were sending campers off to look around camp, and a few were setting onto Pegasi to look over the city in search of him. Thalia was ordering the Hunters to pack up, and for them to check the surrounding woods outside of camp, as if he had wandered off in a terrible dream.
Ariadne consoled Blackjack and sent him to look. Chiron seemed deep in thought, holding the feather daintily.
"What is it, Chiron?" Annabeth questioned, eyebrows furrowed.
"It seems that this was meant for you," the centaur said, looking at the brunette. "She wanted you to find it."
A chord struck somewhere in her heart. Ariadne took the feather, and she looked up at the sky. Her eyes blazed with sudden anger, one that seemed to grow brighter in the wintertime. Her hands clenched at her side and the feather crumpled to nothing in her glowing hands. Most backed away with caution.
"HERA!"
Her scream was so loud most thought the whole world could hear it. The ground rumbled, and vines flowed beneath, waiting for the moment they could tear the goddess apart. That was what she wanted.
Across the country, another hidden place full of demigods just like them felt a tremor in the ground. They screamed and ran, looking for a monster as large vines erupted around their borders and reached high toward the sky.
New York City felt a small shatter beneath building structures. And in apartments, people stopped to hide from whatever danger was occurring.
The earth seemed to groan beneath their feet, and deep in the earth, something was scared, curling in on itself as the ground moved around it.
Perseus Jackson was missing.
Ariadne Phoenix would tear the world apart in search of him.
And she would start with the gods first.
END OF ACT II
authors note:
I procrastinated writing this for so long and I'm sorry. This is so short but I just ame so excited for HOO you can't even imagine.
First, how was y'all's holidays? I won't just say Christmas because there's meant more out there so tell me your favorite part about the holidays!
I got great presents so I loved hanging with my family!
Here's a present I got:
I also started using the website artbreeder and here is what I imagined Ariadne and Percy would look like. (Ari won't look exactly like Brittany only because it's my interpretation with the art stuff they have):
And honestly, I kind of wished I looked like Ari but that's besides the point. But my friends did say I looked like her, and my younger sister thought it was me and that was probably the kindest thing she's ever said to my face🥲 but seriously, Ari and Percy are EXTREMELY GOOD LOOKING!
Anyways!
I'll be taking some time off from this series for a while! I'm going to be getting some of my other books written and focus on my stupid school work and my fucking APUSH class I wish I could physically push off a cliff. I'm also in dire need of a relationship but we won't get into that.
I also posted the first chapter of my Percabeth story on my Instagram. It's the same name as it is on here: FandomQueen696
I'm crap at updating so don't get your hopes up anytime soon😀
Question if the chapter: what are you guys hoping to accomplish this new year?
Answer: I'm hoping to just focus on my mental health and well-being. Also to keep learning how to drive and find a job because my parents are bugging me because I'm about to be sixteen
I also wanted to say this:
Thank you to every single one of you who has read, voted, or commented on any of my stories so far. The beginning of this year I never knew I would have this many people reading my work and that I would have the guts to publish it. This has been a whirlwind of fun. And my goal was to finish the PJO series this year and we've done that!
I love you guys so much and thank you for sticking around!
I hope everyone has a safe trip into the new year and that everything gets better. I give each and every one of you a goodbye to 2020 and a hello to 2021 and that you all get clear skin, good grades, true happiness and are confident with yourselves.
I love you guys so much!
Thank you for reading the first half of Ariadne's story and let's hope for more!