How You Changed Me (Demigods In High School AU)

Chapter 44 || 2 Weeks Of Tartarus

ANNABETH CHASE

Annabeth slashed through the last monster, taking a deep breath and making sure Percy was okay. He still had the bandages on from Damasen's little healing trip, but other than that, he had no more other injuries on him.

"Alright," she sighed, looking at the mini map Damasen had given them, "We've got another three-day hike ahead of us."

"Ugh," Percy groaned, "My wounds feel like they're killing me."

"Probably because they're still bleeding," she rolled her eyes, "The main point is that we need to get out of here so we can stop that stupid war the monsters are planning."

"Well, if we all make it out alive, they'll know they can't stop us," Percy reasoned.

"Another reason that's not proving against me," Annabeth sighed, "Just... keep goin--"

She stopped mid-sentence and shoved Percy behind a tree.

"Wha--"

"Sh!" she cut him off, pointing to the giant with basilisks in his hair, who was busy scooping water from the river and showering himself with it.

"Polybotes..." Percy breathed.

Polybotes seemed to be enjoying his stay in Tartarus unlike the rest of the monsters. Apparently, he was unaware that the monsters were trying to prove him weak or not worthy. Suddenly, Polybotes's head lifted up as he scanned the whole pit.

"I SMELL SEA SCUM!" he roared, the whole pit quaking.

"Shit," Percy cursed under his breath.

Polybotes was coming closer. And here they were. Covered in mud, doused in blood, wrapped in bandages, and about to become sandwiches. She made that rhyme for a reason.

"THERE YOU ARE!" Polybotes charged at Percy and Percy dodged, rolling out of the way as Polybotes swung his club at Percy.

Annabeth watched and winced as Polybotes smashed his club straight onto Percy's ribs, hearing them all snap in a cracking whip to the air. So she charged forward, leaping onto Polybotes's back, stabbing relentlessly with her dagger. To her dismay, Polybotes simply looked over his shoulder at her like she was some flea, plucked her up, and threw her to the floor.

"Annabeth!" Percy groaned from the floor, getting up.

"OW!" she screamed as Polybotes's club whacked her arm.

"GET OFF OF HER!" Percy yelled, kicking Polybotes in the shin.

Polybotes whirled on him instantly, forgetting about Annabeth. He sent his poisonous net towards Percy, who rolled just in time to avoid it. Well, that luck didn't last long because Polybotes swung Percy into the air like he was a rag doll, watching in satisfaction as Percy hit the ground with a thud. He let out a small moan of pain and she charged forward, to Polybotes's surprise.

"I see you won't give up, will you, Athena girl?" he chuckled, swiping his net at her.

She tried to run out of the way, but the net caught her foot and it seared in agony. Screaming, her fingers grew welts as she pried the net off of her foot, rubbing it to soothe the pain. But it didn't help. Percy had gotten to his feet, Polybotes and Percy battling it out with their blades now. He ducked, punching Polybotes in the stomach while Polybotes got a slash on Percy's back. Percy flipped out of the way as Polybotes attempted to slice him in half.

So as the two banes were fighting, Annabeth ran around behind Polybotes, climbing the tree until she was level to his neck. She convinced herself that she'd have pride before launching herself onto Polybotes's neck, stabbing into it with her dagger. Polybotes yelled out, grabbing her and holding her neck in a choke. Annabeth could feel the world growing small around her and the sounds growing faint for a heartbeat before she was on the floor, gasping for breath.

Percy had gone around, now piggybacking Polybotes.

"WHAT IS THIS?!" Polybotes yelled, trying to throw Percy off of his back.

Percy stabbed into Polybotes's neck, holding onto Riptide to created nasty gashes whenever Polybotes moved. The giant roared in pain, grabbing Percy by his leg and squishing it with his arm. Percy yelled in pain as Annabeth threw him her dagger, jumping onto Polybotes's back to grab Riptide out of his neck. Golden ichor flowed out, sending her hurling backwards with the gushing wave.

As she hit the floor, she was aware of Percy busy slamming Polybotes's head into a rock, where golden ichor spilled at an even nastier speed. Polybotes slammed Percy's head into the rock, flipping their positions, mixing red into the gold. So Annabeth stepped in, grabbing her dagger and cutting Polybotes's hand off, where Percy could roll free.

With one last stab to the head, Polybotes rolled into the River of Misery, where he died, most likely reforming somewhere in Tartarus.

"Percy..." Annabeth panted, limping over to him.

Her whole body felt like it was burning as she knelt down beside him. He was barely awake, his arm over the gash in his head. She hurriedly took out a gauze from Damasen and put it on the gash, applying pressure before wrapping Percy's head in Ace wrap.

"Stop worrying about me," Percy wheezed. "Treat your own wounds first, Wise Girl."

"No," Annabeth rasped, her throat hurting like Hades.

She bandaged up his ribs before looking around. Things were still falling in. Debris. So she searched through the piles of junk to find a cardboard box.

"Perfect!" she gasped, cutting it up with her dagger before wrapping it around Percy's shattered leg, hoping to make a makeshift cast.

"Now do you," Percy urged.

She took her arm as Percy wrapped it, using the bandana she had around her neck as a sling for her broken arm.

"We need to keep going," she grunted, getting up off of the floor.

He put his arm around Annabeth, limping as she rested against him. Together, they followed the river. It seemed to scream at them.

Murderer! Sadness!

But she looked away and the voices stopped. That's when the shadows grew heavier all of a sudden.

"What's going on..." Percy asked, looking around warily.

Annabeth held his arm tighter, looking around with her dagger ready.

"Why hello, heroes..."

Nyx.