mastermind - percy jackson

xii. funeral (crashing)

"he promised me he would come back"

The moment she heard the explosion, she thought she was hallucinating. Having a flashback again.

But deep down she knew. And once she did, she tried to go back. Tried to fight the fire with ice and find him. Save him.

Annabeth held her back telling her that he would be fine. But it sounded like she was trying to convince herself rather than Cassandra.

She dragged her back to Hephaestus, and they filled him in on everything that had happened at Mount St. Helens.

He didn't seem very surprised about the Telekhines using his forge. But his face distorted in worry about the weapon being created.

"What are they making?" Annabeth asked.

"Think" He commanded. "Cooled in blood. Fusing metals."

"They're remaking Kronos's scythe" Cassandra said under her breath in worry.

If Kronos got his scythe back, he would be unstoppable. And if Percy wasn't there to fulfil the prophecy, they wouldn't be able to beat him.

Hephaestus nodded, "Yes."

Annabeth gasped. "We have to stop them!"

"You already have" Hephaestus said. He pressed a button and a computer screen appeared, it showed the image of a mountain surrounded by forests, with smoke and lava erupting from the center.

"Still uncertain about further eruptions" A newscaster said, "authorities have ordered the evacuation of almost half a million people as precaution. Meanwhile, ash as fallen as far away as Lake Tahoe and Vancouver, and the entire Mount St. Helens area is closed to traffic within a hundred-mile radius. While no deaths have been reported, minor injuries and illness include—"

He shut off the screen. "Your friend caused quite the explosion" He said. "The telekhines were scattered Some vaporized. Some got away, no doubt. I don't think they'll be using my forge anytime soon. On the other hand, neither will I. The explosion caused Typhon to stir in his sleep. We'll have to wait and see—"

"And where's Percy?" Cassandra demanded.

Hephaestus sighed. "He is strong. There's a chance he has survived."

"A chance?" She asked.

"Wherever he is, is beyond my realm" He explained, raising an eyebrow at her glare.

"You know where he is" Cassandra protested. "Where's Percy?"

"I told you girl. He is beyond my realm" Hephaestus said angrily. "Now run back to your silly camp. Tell Chiron about your journey and when you are ready I will tell you how to find Daedalus."

"But—"

"Thank you Hephaestus" Annabeth interrupted.

The god waved his hand. "And I recommend that you do not question me again, daughter of Khione. Or we will see whether fire or ice is stronger."

Cassandra glared harsher, as Annabeth pulled her out of the workshop.

"What was that?" She asked angrily.

"What do you mean?" Cassandra questioned. "Percy is missing. And he knows where he is. He's hiding something!"

"Maybe he is. But that's Hephaestus. An Olympian god. He can snap his fingers and you would die. Let's not make one of the most powerful beings on the planet our enemy" Annabeth scolded.

"I don't care. Percy is—"

"Don't you think I know that?" Annabeth asked. "You forget that Percy is my best friend too. But he sacrificed himself to save us— to save you— and you're doing a shitty job of honoring his sacrifice."