The Fall of Civilization

The Insanity of Annabeth Chase

Stading before Pasiphae was sending enough terror to Hazel. The doors beside the Giant Clytius gave Hazel a bit of a cold feeling inside. She can sense some sort of a familiar soul.

Percy and Annabeth! The realization hit her.

Pasipahae laughed. She must have guessed what Hazel is feeling at the moment. Leo gasped beside her. Hazel does not know why but from studying Pasiphae's face she could tell she was concocting something. Hazel blinked and she saw what Leo must've seen.

"Don't worry," Hazel assured Leo. "This is just an illusion, an image made from the Mist."

Leo touched the wall and feels it. He could tell something mechanical is going on in it. "Pretty solid for an illusion."

Hazel heard Pasiphae laugh. It was terrible to hear such taunting at a time of distress like this one. But Hazel will not make her see how weak she felt at the moment.

"Don't worry," Hazel said. "I can guide us around. Just listen to me okay?"

Leo nodded.

Hazel knows exactly what Pasiphae wants. It is to see the disciple if Hecate fall in her illusions. So Hazel looks around Pasiphae's illusions and makes it appear worse. Hazel heard Pasiphae's taunting laugh again but this time it made her feel more confident. It meant that she had her fell into her own trap. Hazel began to weave her own illusions out of nothing. Pasiphae had thought it was one of hers.

Leo's hand was uncomfortably sweaty, but Hazel knows her palms are sweaty too. She was dragging Leo around into worse and worse illusions.

She was more confident than ever. It was then that she felt a sudden dread. A buzzing came into her ears. She felt the hopelessness of the passed away soul. The soul was familiar to her. It felt like someone she knew. The familiarity was so heavy that Hazel's knees buckled when she realized the familiarity of the soul.

"Percy," she whispered to herself.

"What about him?" Leo asked.

"He's dead, Leo."

"How did you-?"

"I felt it."

Hazel rushed her way around to get to Pasiphae. The faster she get there the more secure she can be that at least Annabeth can be saved.

The look of absolute surprise on Pasiphae's face was a pat on the back for Hazel.

"It seemed that I have underestimated you," Pasiphae said.

The door gave a ding and Hazel saw Annabeth dragging both herself and Percy's body out of the Doors of Death.

"I am afraid you cannot congratulate me," Hazel said.

Pasiphae gave her a quizzical look. Hazel pointed to her feet and Pasiphae saw the hole Hazel had created by controlling the earth itself. Pasiphae had fallen to her demise.

Clytius stared at her. Then out of Percy's mouth he spoke.

"Impressive," he said. His voice sounds like a deep rumbling it gave Hazel goose bumps. "It seemed that this girl is a survivor. Shame, this boy's blood is Mother Gaea's preferred sacrifice."

"Cling!"

Both Clytius and Hazel turned to the broken chain of the Doors. Leo's hands were still on fire. Hazel saw the severed chains still glowing from the heat.

A dreadful laugh came from Percy's mouth. "Nice show, boy but you see I am the extinguisher of light. I am born to oppose Hecate! Both of you got no chance against me, no matter how strong you are! No god is on your side!"