[1] 𝐼𝑐𝑎𝑟𝑢𝑠 - 𝑃𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑦 𝐽𝑎𝑐𝑘𝑠𝑜𝑛

3.14

-

THE SEA-NYMPHS CAME FOR THE BODY.

They washed her with rose oil and nectar, and weaved moonlace through her onyx hair. Her shroud was a beautiful silver.

But they had to pry her from Percy first, of course.

Things were okay, in it's vaguest definition, hours later. Percy just felt...numb. He had no more tears left to cry, all of them had dried. For now. He felt drained and so very tired.

Annabeth was being healed. Grover and Silena were tending to the wounded, as they hadn't been hurt nearly as much.

He felt Thetis's presence form next to him, the smell of salty seas coming over the room.

"You did this to her." Her voice was quiet, sharp and ragged like rocks tearing into ships.

Percy's eyes were bloodshot and dead. "I know."

He had sworn on the River Styx he would save her, but he hadn't. There was always a punishment when you broke an oath on the Styx. That was the reason her immortality didn't come through. He had killed her.

Yes, there was the prophecy that had been enacted years before, but all of it was destined to happen. He always would have gotten her killed. It was his fault.

Her whole life Katniss was pushed to the shadows, never acknowledged throughout history despite all she did, yet she would be remembered for this. It didn't seem fair.

The hero's soul, cursed blade shall reap.

Katniss was the hero. Riptide was the cursed blade. She and Zoë had practically sacrificed their lives for Heracles, giving him that sword. But he left them to ruin. That's why it was cursed, just not in the literal sense.

A single choice shall end their days. Olympus to preserve or raze.

Katniss chose to sacrifice herself. She bloodbended Percy, taking Riptide back and killing herself. In doing so, she had saved Olympus. But at the cost of her own life.

Percy saw Achilles, of course in his spector form, come to the front of the procession of nymphs. He unwrapped Katniss's face and kissed her forehead. He murmured something, but Percy couldn't hear what. He didn't need to. She was still dead.

Then Achilles let them lead his sister away and turned to look at Percy and Thetis. He glared in their direction, though it seemed more pointed at his mother. "I warned you. I hope you're happy."

Thetis didn't appear bothered, at least not on the outside. She waved her hand and she, the nymphs, Achilles, and Katniss's body disappeared.

Percy's jaw clenched, though he expected it. Of course Thetis wouldn't burn her daughter's shroud with the mortals. She'd do it down somewhere in her ocean territory. But it still hurt, knowing that would be the last time he ever saw her.