Fragile Heart [Completed]

21

Trigger warning: violence, blood, gore, and death.

When Annabeth finally saw them, they were nothing like she had imagined. The were, tall and slim, but their shape was constantly moving. They seemed vaguely humanoid, but the noises they made would keep her awake for years to come.

The moment they had come into sight everyone had scattered, thrown completly off by their new enemy. No-one had expected it. She could only hope that Camp Jupiter would arrive soon.

She and Rory had been separated in the fray, but every now and then she would catch a glimpse of her sprinting towards one them. Annabeth had been relieved to know that they could be cut with their swords.

The fighting became a blur, but with every creature she cut down, more popped up and the drive to fight ebbed out of her. She knew that others around her felt the same around her; they all wore the same tired masks on the faces.

Rory kept scanning the sea of faces for the one she had been waiting for. Most other things became inconsequential and she weaved through the masses, hunting. Her concentration was only broken when one of them jumped out at her. She reacted purely on instinct and reflex, dispatching anything that came in her path. The rage that sat deep in the pit of her stomach burned bright, never fading, using her fear as fuel. Rory didn't know what she would do when they came face to face, but that didn't matter. All she was in that moment was a furious blitz of hurt and pain. She wanted her dead.

Slowly, her breathing became more laboured, and her swings less accurate. How long had she been fighting? Twenty minutes? An hour? The screams turned to white noise around her, and her heartbeat thundered in her ears. The way the orange and black clashed, swirling together, reminded Rory of the dying embers in a coal fire.

Then she saw her. Towering above them all, stood Akhyls, arms outstretched, the conductor of a deadly orchestra. Tears dripped down her cheeks, and she was hunched over. Their eyes met across the battle field. Rory let lose an echoing cry, one that tore the inside of her throat. She screamed and was filled with savage joy as she saw Akhyls flinch ever so slightly. She was scared, and Rory reveled in it.

"Come and face me!" she yelled. Another thing lunged at her side, but Rory killed it with one cut. It choked, and died, dissolving into the floor.

"You may want to help her, first," came the cool reply. Rory spun around, and her nightmare came to life. It was a morbid painting laid out for all to see. Blood was spilled, people cried out in pain. Annabeth was suspended in the air by one leg; one of the creatures had her. Its smile was so wide, Rory feared its face would split in two.

She set off at a sprint, feet pounding on the floor, her sword was knocked from her hand and sent spiralling in the other direction. If she ran to it, it would have been too late to save Annabeth. The adrenaline was kicking in, making her shake all over. She had to calm down, she had to think, she had to fight. Rory grabbed the closest thing to her that resembled a weapon. She charged forward again, braking past everyone and everything.

Annabeth screamed as the creature ran its claws along her leg, starting at her calf, all the way down to her thigh. It repeated the action, over and over. It was only then that Rory realised how badly she had chosen. The weapon she had picked up was a bow. An arrow landed by her foot. She grabbed it.

Time began moving slower as Rory notched the arrow. One shot. She drew back the string aiming for the monsters face. One shot. She took a deep breath, steadying herself. One shot. She fired.

The arrow whisteled through the air. It gained spead until it hit its mark with a sickening thud. The creature squealed as it fell, realising its hold on Annabeth. Rory sprinted the last few meters, moments too late to catch her.

As she landed, something crunched, and she was still. The sound that came next was barely human. Rory felt sick and angry and so many other emotions all at once. She was drowning. She cradled the lifeless Annabeth in her arms. Tears spilled down her face and she continued to weep.

"Oh gods...oh gods oh gods oh gods!" Annabeths leg was a mangled mess of ligaments and muscle. Rory turned away and threw up. Wiping the corner of her mouth, she faced her. "Please, wake up. C'mon wake up."

Akhyls was suddenly above her. "You weren't quick enough, were you?" It was a statement. "You couldn't even save one measly life."

Rory trembled with rage. She placed Annabeth's body on the ground and stood. "Why?" she croaked. "WHY!?"

Akhyls took a stunned step back. "I do not have to expla-"

Rory cut her off by laughing. It was cruel and twisted and came from somewhere deep and dark inside her. A few campers and stopped fighting and came to look at what was happening. The laughter sent Akhyls another step back.

"You don't know how this misery stuff works, do you?" Her voice was low and deep, barely above a whisper. "You think that I'm just going to keel over and go back to sleep, don't you?" Rory chuckled again.

She crouched down and took the sword from Annabeth's hand. Percy burst through the crowd. "Rory don't fight her!" he yelled.

She ignored him. Annabeth was gone. She needed this. She need to sink the blade deep into Akhyls gut.

A strange liquid seeped from somewhere, trailing its way closer to her feet. Rory didn't care. She wanted revenge. Nothing would stop her.

She stepped forward into the liquid. Akhyls and Percy both gasped. Rory took another step. She swung her blade, catching Akhyls on the arm.

"Fight me, you coward!" She took another slash. This time it was deflected. She kept swinging and hacking, desperate. She had become an enemy with nothing to lose.

Rory was dimly aware of people in purple shirts also surrounding her. She ignored them.

On what felt like the millionth swing, Akhyls slipped. The blade conceted with flesh. It resisted, at first before sinking in. Golden ichor poured from the wound. Rory pulled it out and stepped closer, catching Akhyls before she hit the floor. She pulled her into an embrace and whispered in her ear.

"This is for Annabeth." The blade sunk into her abdomen and pushed out the other side. Akhyks gasped before going limp. Rory let her fall. Around her was silent.

She stumbled over to Annabeth and sat next to her. The fight was gone from her. Every last part of energy had been drained from her bones. The life force had been sucked out of her. She was cold and hot all over. Sweat dripped into her eyes. She lifted her hand saw blood. Was it hers? She couldn't tell. She was so tired. What time was it? She needed rest. She would okay after she slept. She let herself fall, her head thuded against the soil. People rushed over. Did she know them? Were they who she had been fighting? She tried to bat them away but her arms were stiff. Why were they all shouting at her? Couldn't they tell she wanted to sleep?

Her breathing became shallow and slow. She was drifting off. It would be nice and quiet when she did. Her vision swam. Just a few more moments and all the pain would stop. Her vision darkened, and then there was nothing.