Reyna and Jason: The Praetor's of New Rome - Sacrifice

A Sea of Stars

"The two of you will face each other in a battle to the death. DEATH being the key word. No winner will be declared until one of you have fallen." Sphinx said as she stalked around Annabeth. "The winner will save their friends from their respective camps. The loser..... well..."

She didn't elaborate, but the message was clear.

"You can't make me kill her." I declared.

Sphinx laughed. "Oh, you say that now. But is her life worth more then your friends? Will you ever be able to make amends with Jason while you waste away in the underworld? I wonder, does the Roman version of the underworld allow those who have committed patricide into Elysium?"

Sphinx smiled coldly while Percy slammed his shoulder against his cage. "You think Annabeth will just follow along with your game? She always has a plan. ALWAYS."

Sphinx laughed. "Oh really? Listen, son of the sea god, does she sound like the 'wise girl' you've always known."

Annabeth continued to beg softly to her mother. "Please Mom. Please."

"I don't think so." Sphinx answered. She waved her hand and the lights above the bleachers turned off, leaving the others in the shadow. "Besides, there's a reason I've covered her eyes and ears. She'll compile, she just needs extra motivation."

A shadow below me caught my attention and I was able to dodge just in time before a bronze humanoid automation stabbed me in the back. Instead, the automation stabbed its sword into the concrete below. Instinctively, I slashed its neck, cutting its head off. Its head rolled to the ground and oil splatter all over the gold and purple court.

"NOOOOOOO! PERCY!"

Ahead of me, Annabeth fought against her restraints violently, her eyes no longer covered. From behind, I could see Sphinx muttering an incantation, her feline eyes glinting in the darkness. Sphinx was manipulating the mist, showing Annabeth what she wanted her to see.

This automation must have looked like Percy in Annabeth's eyes.

Which means she thinks I killed Percy.

Percy shouted from the shadows. "Annabeth, that's not me! I'm right here!"

Annabeth was breathing rapidly, her face red with rage. Her stormy grey eyes locked with my own. If she wasn't the crazy blonde lady in my dreams before, she sure was now.

"Percy!" I called out. "When those headphones get off of her head, do not say anything!"

"What? Why?" Percy asked.

Sphinx smiled. "Circe taught you well, Roman." She said to me. "But that knowledge won't save you."

"Percy!" Gwen shouted to my left. "Reyna knows a thing or two about magic. If she's telling you to shut up, it's for a good reason."

I gritted my teeth, I always sucked at Illusion magic, meaning I couldn't simply break Annabeth's trance. The mist, the source of all magic, was dependent upon manipulating others perspectives and expectations to be used effectively.

Circe taught me that illusion magic is at its most effective when you have a deep understanding of a persons expectations, motivations and desires. If you do, then you can cast a spell and let the mind of your target carry that illusion forward without the original castor being involved at all. That's how she was able to keep her victims as Guinea pigs. She preyed on their insecurities, making them feel weak and insignificant, so they would hold the spell longer in their own minds.

Now that Annabeth had the motivation to kill me, anything that would normally stop her could be twisted by Sphinx's illusion spell to fuel her rage further. Percy may beg her to stop in reality,  but in Annabeth's mind, she'll hear him say something else. Something that would motivate her to kill me more.