¹𝐒𝐎𝐋𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐒 ! - percy jackson

-015

THEY LANDED AT CRISSY Field after nightfall.

The atmosphere was tense, burdened with the weight of Zoë Nightshade's grievous wounds. They dismounted the silver chariot, Artemis carrying Zoë in her arms before setting her down on the dew-kissed grass.

Stella, Thalia, and Artemis huddled around the injured Huntress, their expressions a mix of concern and determination. The metallic tang of blood lingered in the air as they worked swiftly to bind Zoë's injuries.

The wounded Huntress was shivering, her pallor growing more pronounced, the glow that typically enveloped her fading quickly.

They had no ambrosia or nectar. Stella was starting to feel the desperation overcome her nerves, her hands anxiously aiding Artemis with the bandages. Each wrap echoed the ticking seconds, a reminder of the small amount of time they had to save Zoë.

"Annabeth, Percy," Thalia called the two demigods over urgently as they had split off into a conversation with Dr. Chase. 

"I can fix this. I can save her," Stella whispered before meeting Zoe's eyes, "Let me save you."

Zoë's eyes flickered with uncertainty, glancing at Artemis, who was watching Stella stoically. A subtle nod from the Huntress granted Stella permission and a fleeting surge of hope stirred in her heart.

Stella knelt beside Zoë, the weight of helplessness settling over her. Her hands, trembling with a mixture of determination and fear, hovered over the Huntress's grievous wound. She braced herself, willing her healing abilities to surface.

The normally golden glow of her healing powers flickered hesitantly, as if unsure of its ability to confront the looming darkness. The air crackled with energy as Stella closed her eyes, drawing upon the divine gift bestowed upon her by her godly parent.

Thalia's eyes flickered with a glimmer of hope as Stella's powers took effect, weaving their ethereal tendrils into the fabric of the injured Huntress.

However, as she delved into her healing power, a surge of overwhelming energy cascaded through her, far more potent and unbridled than she anticipated. Stella's body tensed, and beads of sweat formed on her forehead as the unchecked force of her abilities threatened to consume her.

It was as if an invisible current surged through her veins, connecting her intimately with Zoë's pain. She winced, feeling not only the physical agony but the profound emotional anguish that accompanied it. It was a depth of connection she hadn't experienced before, and the intensity threatened to overwhelm her.

Artemis cast a concerned gaze at her. "Stella, be cautious. Your powers are potent, but healing such wounds goes beyond mortal understanding."

Thalia and Annabeth watched with concern, realizing that the healing attempt was extracting a toll beyond what they saw. Percy's eyes were full of worry, unable to shake the feeling that things were going seriously wrong.

Stella, caught in the throes of a power she couldn't fully comprehend, pressed on, determined to save Zoë. Her efforts, however, only intensified the pain coursing through her own being.

The boundary between healer and healed blurred, and Stella felt herself slipping into an abyss of shared suffering.

You cannot save everyone. Apollo's words haunted her, on repeat in her mind, yet, in her desperation, Stella persisted. The pain, both physical and emotional, became a torrent threatening to engulf her entirely.

Weakened from her earlier feat of holding the sky, Stella became especially vulnerable to the relentless pain she willingly took upon herself. An unbearable ache mirrored Zoë's fatal wound, radiating through Stella's body.