Running the Gauntlet

To the one who left it all behind

"Annabeth I don't need someone babysitting me." Garden complained as Annabeth was walking next to him as he hobbled away on crutches.

It was a nice day, not a cloud in the sky. A nice breeze blowing through, shaking the trees slightly.

"You know every time we've lost sight of you, you've gotten hurt somehow. So yes, you do need a babysitter." She gave him a smirk because she's right, but her smirk quickly left. "Garden. What happened?"

Garden turned to her, it felt like his golden eyes stared into her soul. He opened his mouth to say something but just shook his head and sighed. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Gard-" He looked at her. "Stop."

Annabeth looked into his eyes, and saw the hurt in them. "Okay."

"I know you wanted to show me something but I've got to go get Wallet." Garden said taking a left instead of a right

"You don't have a wallet." Annabeth said, confused.

"You'll see when we get there."

They walked in silence, Annabeth's brain not stopping, she wanted to figure out what happened to her friend.

She glanced at him, obviously a lot had happened. She could tell just by the damage, only hearing stories about Tartarus she let her mind wander.

But the way he carried himself was different too, he's acting like an animal in a bear trap, but is masking it by acting normal. There are a couple moments when the mask breaks, one is talking about Luke and the other is asking what happened.

That was another thing Annabeth couldn't bring herself to believe. Luke betrayed the camp and sabotaged the quest.

That led to Annabeth thinking about Garden, both his physiology and biology changed, he's now considered a monster since the ambrosia doesn't work on him. She'll ask him at a different time, it might be too touchy right now.

We stopped at the entrance. "How do you give permission to let someone or something in?" Garden asked.

"You just permit them to enter."

"Oh, okay didn't think it'd be that easy." Garden cleared his throat. "I uh give permission for Wallet to enter Camp Half-Blood."

Immediately a black scaly blur tackled Garden to the ground.

"What!" Annabeth screamed and she pulled her dagger out.

She could hear Garden start laughing, she finally got a better look at what was happening.

A large black crocodile was licking at Garden's face. "I know, I know, I'm sorry girl." Garden said, genuinely smiling.

Annabeth still had her dagger out. "What is that?" She questioned pointing her dagger at the black crocodile.

"It's Wallet." He said simply as he got back to his feet, using Wallet's head. "She's the reason I'm alive and out." Garden said scratching Wallet's head causing Wallet to give a very toothy smile.

"Garden, that's an extinct animal."

"Obviously not, she's right here."

"It's the size of a horse!"

"Yeah."

Annabeth shook her head and put her dagger away. "You never cease to amaze me. Now come on, I've got to show you something."

As they walked through the camp, Annabeth and several campers eyed the crocodile that was helping Garden walk. She stopped just past the cabins, the three of them were facing the tree line to the woods and there was the cabin Garden saw when he got back to camp.

"Looks nice, what is it?"

Annabeth smiled. "It's yours."

"Huh?" Garden asked, looking at her confused.

"The Hephaestus cabin helped build it when we left, It's the Persephone cabin. Go check it out. No one has been in it yet." She said, giving Garden a slight nudge.

Garden with the help of Wallet, hobbled along the stone pathway. It looked like a regular wooden cabin, flower beds parallel on each side of the door. Above the door was Persephone's symbol, an open pomegranate with its seeds visible. The cabin looked amazing on the outside. It reminded him of home.

The flower beds had a random assortment of wild flowers, in the middle of each flower bed were forget-me-nots. A small smile grew on Garden's face.

Garden grabbed the door knob, twisted it and stepped inside. It was a simple layout, a living room/lounge area, a step ladder leading up to a loft, where one bed lay. Every windowsill had around a foot of room to lay things on. And on one of the windowsills lay his bangels.

Garden walked over and slid them on, he couldn't feel the familiar cold metal anymore, but the weight still reassured him.

He heard a scratching sound and hobbled to the door to find Wallet trying to get in.

"You're too big girl, but don't worry I'll make a door for you. But for the time being I'll hang out with you."

Right out front of the flower bed, Garden laid down on top of Wallet. As he rested his head he looked up and noticed a vulture.

For whatever reason, looking at the carrion bird disgusted him. Garden and the bird stared at each other for a few moments. He understood why he was disgusted by it.

Garden closed his eyes and started singing.

"I walk through the valley of the shadow of death.

And I fear no evil because I'm blind to it all.

And my mind and my gun comfort me.

Because I know I'll kill my enemies when they come.

Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life.

And I will dwell on this earth forevermore.

Said, I walk beside the still waters and they restore my soul.

But I can't walk on the path of the right because I'm wrong.

Well, I came upon a man at the top of a hill.

Called himself the savior of the human race.

Said he come to save the world from destruction and pain.

But I said, "How can you save the world from itself?"

'Cause I walk through the valley of the shadow of death.

And I fear no evil because I'm blind.

Oh, and I walk beside the still waters and they restore my soul.

But I know when I die my soul is damned."

When he finished singing the vulture took off and disappeared into the sky.
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In a distant place, in an old castle.

The stone floor wrecked and ruined beyond repair, as if a battle took place here. It was cold even with the torches lining the wall.

A man sat on an oily black throne, leaning on his fist. He reached out a flash of gold around his wrist, he grabbed a goblet filled with a thick red substance. He brought the goblet to his lips and drank the liquid, the cold thickness of the liquid sliding down his throat.

He brought his other hand up to wipe away the red substance that lingered on his lips. He licked his finger, savoring the taste of the liquid.

He breathed out, setting the goblet on the small table next to the throne. He stood up, straightened out the black royal fabric.

His footsteps echoed throughout the empty throne room.

"I'll see you soon." He said in a low tone.

He was the one who left it all behind.
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How's everyone been? Sorry this took so long writer's block and life have been in the way. This is only the first part of the epilog and the next one will be out soon.

The song is Through the Valley by Shawn James.

Anyway hope you enjoyed the chapter see ya!