Percy Jackson and the Dark Elites

XI

Percy

The worst part of his new name was how guilty it could make him feel. To him, it was a reminder. He had foiled their plans again. That's why Trial named him Ruin. He wrecked their poorly planned visit to L.A. and then their only desperate chance to escape.

Now he couldn't save Annabeth Chase.

Annabeth...

How could she still have this effect on him? Three years ago, she haunted his dreams and whispered in his ear when he wasn't looking; she lived in his shadow for quite a long time.

Then it all stopped. There was a moment of overwhelming warmth that made him think of her. The sunlight was pointing into his room at the Elites camp, Dale. A heavenly place with woods, the beach, gardens, a lighthouse, and a lot of artillery.

Her voice was in his head. No words, no meaning, just the sound of it, as if she was singing a lyric-less melody. His mouth bathed with the taste of her beautiful, salty lips, her soft curly hair entwined in his fingertips, her lemon scent filled the room, her hot skin was touching his, and he didn't feel sad or longing about any of it.

Annabeth Chase was a memory now, she didn't have to be a bad one.

He pulled himself off the bed and went downstairs to eat breakfast. He showered. He hung out with his friends. He talked with Blaze about the information their silent agents were bringing in, and how they could use it to their advantage.

He went to bed. He dreamed of all the sensations he desperately wanted for himself. But wanted to protect even more.

From then on, everything was for her. Then it was for the campers. Then the world fell to Tartarus and it was for them. Then he forgot about all of them, and it was for Chaos. He would not win. He will fall.

He didn't think about her. Yet... When he heard Octavian was in the area. He wanted to throttle him.

See, Percy had talked to a nymph who had grown very close to Piper in the last two years. He was visiting Camp Half Blood after receiving some news from an agent. No way was Annabeth really out of her coma. After two weeks of rumors. He would see for himself.

Which wasn't a problem; he now wore a dark blue shirt, black jeans and boots, and a black coat with the hood drawn. Even if she saw him around her, she would only see a dark figure with thousands of black crystals hiding his face.

After seeing Annabeth in L.A., they shielded their faces. This way they could talk to and protect those they loved. Juniper, Grover's girlfriend and one of Piper's best friends, told him all about their suspicions. That he beat and took advantage of Annabeth. He drugged her with something more than a memory-wiper. Whatever Octavian did... 

Percy seethed through his teeth and sent out agents to track that man down. He wouldn't be patient anymore. This one didn't have to meticulous. And it served them really well. While they followed him with everything they had, the Elites slowly developed a list of places Octavian had been. Fortresses or compounds of Chaos. They took every last one of them and burned them into ashes on the ground. People started calling them the Dark Elites. They excepted the name.

And as Percy slowly rose to the top of the group, they accepted him as their leader. Ruin, the man who leaves nothing behind, only ruins. He'll ruin your plans, your home, your reputation, your safety, and your sanity.
And when he came for him, Octavian ran like hell. In their battle, he briefly got away. He sprinted to the only place he hoped Percy still had a weakness. But because they had sent quite a few teams out on missions, the only Elite in the area to able help was Percy. He had to get there to save Annabeth.