𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐃𝐈𝐆𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐆 [pjo]

𝐈.

──falling is easy. 

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

The falling was the nice part. The wind, frigid and sharp, whistled past Callahan's ears as she clung to Annabeth's form. The girl had tucked her head into her neck, and Cal could feel Percy's weight tugging on her other hand. As they fell thousands of feet to certain death, she pulled the boy into her so that Annabeth and Percy would be the last things she would see and feel before death.

Callahan knew that the death was quick, that it wouldn't hurt. The impact would shatter their bones, but it would be quick and painless. And then Callahan Lee would be dead, wrapped in the arms of the only people she would ever love, and maybe she would finally be free of every goddamn horrible thing the Fates did to her simply because she was born a demigod.

They were falling so fast Cal's tears were floating up as they left her eyes, and she could feel Percy at her back and Annabeth's own tear-stained cheeks buried in her neck, but it was so dark. She wanted to close her eyes, to savor the feeling that came so close to flying, but she realized it didn't matter. The chute they were falling down was pitch black, and opened or closed her eyes still wouldn't be able to see anything.

The whistling turned into a roar at some point, the air thick with the disgusting smell of rotten eggs. Sulfur. It made Callahan's eyes water even more, and she pressed her nose into Annie's head, whispering 'I love you' and hoping it wasn't completely lost in the wind. For a second, Cal thought she heard an 'I love you' in reply, but the sound was lost in the roar.

Suddenly, the tunnel they were falling down opened up into a vast cavern, the air tinged red but bright enough for Callahan to make out Annie's blonde hair whipping past her face. Their bodies kept turning and tumbling through the air, allowing Cal to catch a glimpse of the fast-approaching bottom. The end to all of this mess. She allowed herself to sigh, deciding that now would be a good time to close her eyes and savor the last of what she could when Annie yelled at Percy from over her shoulder.

"Percy!" She shouted, "Water!"

Water.

Callahan started, turning her head to look down at a ribbon of glittering black water that cut through the jagged black landscape. It wasn't the water they knew, but maybe it would work. If it didn't kill them, just like everything else in the hell-scape they were falling into.

The air roared. It rushed past them and the black river grew closer and closer. At the last second, Percy yelled defiantly and the river surged to meet them. 

𝖓𝖔𝖙𝖊: it begins.