Divine ( pjo inserts )

-chapter two-ténèbres II-

I was jolted awake by a loud cheer that cut through my sleep. What on earth? I wondered, barely processing the noise. Who could be cheering so loudly at this hour? Deciding to find out, I dragged myself out of bed.

My leg felt like it was on fire. I knew we were heading into a tough situation soon, but the sudden pain from the pins and needles in my leg made it hard to stay focused. It was definitely not the most pleasant way to wake up.

As I limped toward the source of the noise, I couldn't ignore the dull ache in my neck from the star tattoo my dear mother gave me. The stars outside seemed almost too bright, adding to the disorienting mix of pain and confusion.

When I reached the area where the cheering had come from, I was taken aback. Instead of the expected celebration, everyone was in tears. Even the toughest-looking campers, who usually seemed unshakeable, were openly crying and comforting each other. It was a far cry from the rowdy cheer I'd heard. The sky above seemed indifferent, casting its light over a scene that was much quieter and more somber than I had anticipated.

"What happened here?" I asked, immediately realizing it might not have been the best question. The room fell silent, and all eyes turned to me, some of them filled with disapproval. It was Selina, the daughter of Aphrodite, who finally spoke up. "Charlie... he..." Her voice broke, and she buried her face in Clarissa's shoulder, unable to continue.

A heavy weight settled in my chest as the truth hit me. I already understood what she was trying to say: Charlie had died.

I collapsed to my knees, barely noticing Chiron placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. Charlie? The boy who had cared for me, protected me, and taught me more in two years than my parents had in six? "He can't be... He said he wouldn't die!" My voice broke as my grief and anger poured out of me, filling the space with a heavy, suffocating fog of sorrow and frustration." what did you do, Percy! You said you would protect him! And yet you lied, he was just 18!"

My tears fell, as viscous as oil, as black as a wolves mouth, as dark as the night.

I stood up and roughly pushed Percy to the ground as I headed back to my tent. The anger bubbling inside me was overwhelmingly hot, fuelling the pain made by the star tattoo. I couldn't help but think of Nico and whether he'd experienced something similar when Bianca died. I quickly shook off the thought. I'd need to reach out to him later with an Iris message, just to help myself get through this.

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-Part 2/3 ténèbres complete. Awaiting new chapters-

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SO SORRY FOR THE WAIT!!! EXAMS ARE COMING UP AND IM SUPER STRESSED! HAVE A GOOD DAY/NIGHT GAISSS!!! :3

Word count:483