𝐒𝐰𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐨𝐧𝐠 // 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑦 𝑗𝑎𝑐𝑘𝑠𝑜𝑛 ＆𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑜𝑙𝑦𝑚𝑝𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑠

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐗𝐗𝐗𝐈.

－ • ꕥ • －

"𝑖𝑛 𝐺𝑟𝑒𝑒𝑘 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒𝑑𝑦, 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑓𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑡 ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑠"
— 𝐥𝐞𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐞

－ • ꕥ • －

𝐄𝐕𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐄 𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐋𝐘 𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐃 to leave the Underworld and never return, especially as the demigods walked through a dark and misty forest, tall trees looming all around. "We can't ignore this." Grover spoke, stressed about the pearl he had lost inside Cerberus.

        "Stop." Percy clearly didn't want to have that conversation as much as Evangeline didn't.

        "It's just math. The four of us, plus your mom and your brother, is six people, and only four pearls. Two people are staying behind and it should really be me." Grover and Annabeth walked behind Percy and Evangeline, the blonde girl trying to figure out how to detail her plan to her stubborn friends.

        Percy stopped walking, he and Evangeline turning around. "It wasn't your fault. And even if it were, you're not getting left behind. Period," Percy placed his pearl in Grover's palm. "After we get the bolt and stop this war, you guys are leaving. With my mom. Noah and I will wait here." he decided firmly.

        Evangeline couldn't let that happen. "No. That's not what's happening. I've been trying to figure out how to tell you guys this." she began, shrugging her backpack further onto her shoulders.

        "Tell us what?" Annabeth asked warily.

        "You three and Sally are the ones that are leaving. There was never going to be enough pearls for all of us. I was already going to stay behind so my brother could go, but you need your mom, Percy. Noah and I are staying down here." Evangeline explained, giving the demigods no room to argue with her. It would be awful for Evangeline to remain in Hell without her friends, without saying anything to Luke. But she had to do it.

        Of course, the other three did not agree with Evangeline's plan. "We're not leaving you guys down here." Grover said, walking after Evangeline as she tried to walk away.

        "Grover, I'd stay down here forever if it meant you guys would be free. I'll figure something out." Evangeline promised.

        Suddenly, a ghostly figure appeared in the middle of the forest, surprising Evangeline immensely. "Sorry." Percy apologized quietly, unsure of what he was supposed to say.

        Annabeth eyed the figure carefully. "They can't hear you." she said slowly.

        Grover's eyes widened. 'They'?" he asked, as thunder rumbled in the distance and more figures appeared around the forest.

        "This must be Asphodel. I read a book about this place." Annabeth said a moment later as the demigods circled themselves, looking at everything around them with caution.

        Evangeline noticed Annabeth begin to leave. "Annie." she warned harshly in a low whisper.

        She continued to step away. "Wait. No, no. No, no, no, no, no. What are you..." Grover trailed off as Annabeth lifted the fabric on one of the figure's cloak.

        "No way." Evangeline muttered, her blue eyes wide as she looked at Annabeth's discovery.

        "Are those... roots?" Grover said with worry and fear laced in his voice.