𝐂œ𝐮𝐫𝐬 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐬é𝐬 [Percy Jackson]

151

Hadrian knew fear, but this was different.

Waves of terror crashed over him. His joints turned to jelly. His heart refused to beat.

His worst memories crowded his mind – red hair disappearing as the bridge collapsed, his mother calling out for him as she died, Percy and Jason fighting to the death in Kansas; the three of them drowning in the nymphaeum in Rome. 

But all of that barely scratched the surface. 

He felt like he was in Tartarus again, drowning in Cocytus, hands reaching through the water to pull him down, fighting monster after monster, watching Percy's expression becoming more hopeless with every second. He knew they had made it out of Tartarus, but he couldn't help but feel like he was still stuck there. He was looking at Kira's face, the half smile as the doors of death closed. 

Paralyzed, he watched as the giant raised his sledgehammer to smash them flat. At the last moment, Annabeth leaped to one side, tackling him. What would Hadrian have done without her?

The hammer cracked the floor, but all of it seemed so far away. Like Hadrian was living in two realities at the same time. His vision was blurry and his ears rang.

The giant chuckled. "Oh, that wasn't fair!" He hefted his sledgehammer again.

"Hads, get up!" He was half aware of being pulled to his feet. Annabeth pulled him towards the far end of the room, but he moved sluggishly, his eyes wide and unfocused.

He thought of the empousai, Bob, the arai, every curse they had lain on him, the ghost of all injuries on his body, Damasen, Tartarus standing over them. He felt like the hope had been sucked out of the roof. 

He needed Percy. Why wasn't Percy here?

His breathing grew ragged, his hands searched for Percy. 

Vaguely, he understood what was going on. The temple was amplifying their personal fears. Annabeth had seen some horrible things, but it was nothing compared to what Hadrian had experienced. 

Hadrian thought he was going insane and it had nothing to do with Percy Jackson. He thought about the hordes of monsters they had seen, the mansion of night they had run through. Every horror of his past was reaching out to him, hands wrapping around him, trying to drown him. 

"I'm here," Annabeth cupped his face, "We will get out of this. I'll get you to Percy. That's what you told him right? That you'll get him to his mom? I'm promising you now that I'll get you to Percy"

The giant laughed. "A child of Athena and Eros? This should be interesting"

The giant lumbered towards them. Fortunately, he was slow and carrying a heavy hammer.

"A – a plan," Annabeth stammered. "I go left. You go right. If we –"

"No" Hadrian said, suddenly very aware of where he was- in the temple of fear. He refused to let something happen to his friend just because he thought he was having an anxiety attack. He forced himself to breathe, "Annabeth, no plans."

"What?"

"No plans. Just follow me!"

The giant swung his hammer, but they dodged it easily. Annabeth leaped forward and slashed her sword across the back of the giant's knee. As the giant bellowed in outrage, Hadrian pulled Annabeth into the nearest tunnel. Immediately they were engulfed in total darkness.

"Fools!" the giant roared somewhere behind them. "That is the wrong way!"

Hadrian ignored his voice, he didn't have to think. He had to feel.