𝐓𝐡𝐞 "𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭" 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐨

Tartarus P2

||~Thalia~||
I look at Annabeth, "Repeat that?" I ask her. She looks at me, "Percy... he heard me talk to him when I was asleep. It's like -- ugh -- I don't even know how to explain it. But he heard me. He knows I'm here looking for him." Annabeth covers her face with her hands, "He heard me, Thalia. He knows I'm here." She looks up at me, a smile gracing her features as tears well up in her eyes.

"Percy is sitting by an Aphrodite shrine near a river. That's all I saw before you all woke me up." Annabeth explains to us.

Reyna looks at her, "There aren't many rivers here. That narrows down the search heavily." She says. I nod slowly.

 "There's Styx, Lethe, Archeron, Phlegethon, and Cocytus." Annabeth names them, "I know he isn't at Cocytus, because I would have heard loud wailing. Phlegethon is also a no-go because -- you know -- it's a river made of fire, nobody would miss it. That leaves Lethe, Archeon, and Styx." 

I sigh, "Does anyone know where they are located?" I ask. Annabeth is quiet, shaking her head. Reyna shrugs, "Not too sure." 

||~Percy~||
I stare at the water of the river. I didn't really notice it before. Why? I was too exhausted.

My legs shake with the weight of my body, and I just collapse onto the glass once more. How many more times will my legs give out? It's getting annoying now.

Surprisingly, I haven't died of starvation or thirst yet, even though I'm in desperate need of both things.

"I wouldn't touch that if I were you." A voice says. I struggle to turn my head, "Who's there?" I croak.
"Here, drink this." A bottle is handed to me by a shadowed figure, but I take the bottle, uncap it, and chug the cool water down.

The person helps me sit up, "Are you alright?" They ask. I look at them, unable to see their face. "Who are you?" I whisper.

They take their hoodie off, revealing blonde hair, as well as the mask.

My heart drops to my stomach as my brain realizes I'm staring at Jason Grace.

"Percy--"

I hug him, desperate for some form of real human contact and one of my best friends. He freezes for a moment before hugging me back, careful of my injuries and the glass embedded into my skin from my fall just now.

||~Jason~||
I'm unused to seeing Percy cry. It's odd, but he's human. Everyone cries.

"It's alright, man." I tell him, "You're okay."

His body shakes with the effort of not crying. I don't push him, I just tell him he will be okay. That he is safe.
Soon, he lets me go and looks at me. "You... don't hate me?" He quietly asks.

My eyes widen, "Hate you? Why would I hate you, dude? You didn't do anything wrong."

He stares at me with uncertainty, "I got you killed though... If I hadn't refused to help Apollo, you wouldn't have been killed because you wouldn't be helping him. It would be me. I-"

My mind goes blank as I listen to him list out reasons as to why my death is his fault. Soon, I have enough and cover his mouth with my gloved palm.
"It wasn't your fault, Percy. The Prophecy with the Seven was incomplete because Leo cheated death. 'To storm or fire the world must fall'? Fire didn't fall, so Storm had to."

More tears spring to his eyes, "But Storm can also be used as a term for oceans!" He pushes my hand off as he speaks, "I could have died and saved you and so many others who were killed in the war with Gaea. I just was too lazy, man!"

I frown, shaking my head. "No, Percy. No." I merely say.

Looking down at his injuries, I count the many glass shards in his skin and the new, fresh scars on his arms. 

Taking his arm in my hand, I start to pull the glass out as carefully as possible. "You might get infected, dude. Hold still." I complain at his fidgeting.

He stops, occasionally twitching at either the pain or just ADHD.

||~Nico~||
I'm sitting beside Will as he helps other campers when I feel an electrical surge throughout my body. I jolt slightly, then look around, confused.

"Did someone shock me?" I ask. Will looks at me, "What? No, why?" He says. I look at him weirdly, "I just felt shocked, I guess. I don't know." It felt similar to when I felt Jason die.

Then it clicks.

If everyone else was revived, does that mean Jason and Bianca are too?

Sorry for the short chapter, guys! School has been taking a lot of my time and damn I'm a busy lady! 😅

Hope you guys enjoyed it! Kudos and comments please, I eat up validation. :)