Percy Jackson and the Armies of Chaos ~ Complete

I Remember

Alkaios's POV

I stumbled back when I saw Annabeth. I silently cursed myself for it, if only for the fact that I knew that Era would scold me for it later. But her eyes... they were the same. The same as they were eight hundred years ago. I don't know why I expected things to be different.

Voices were a blur when my comrades introduced themselves. I saw the gods crumple to their knees before us. It didn't matter. My eyes didn't leave the campers.

Leo, wait Leo's alive? Piper, Jason, Hazel, Frank, Nico, Thalia... Annabeth. They all betrayed me. None of them are innocent.

"Please, come this way." Said Chiron, as composed as ever. I bit back a fond smile. Some things never change.

We walked towards the elevator, with all of the campers trailing after. I remember this. I wondered if the crappy elevator music was still there. 

We stepped into the elevator... our cloaks took up most of the space. And the music was still there. Of course it was.

"What is this awful sound!" cried out Aiyla. I snickered. She glared at me, her blue eyes flaring.

"What was that?" She asked me quietly, her eyes wide. 

"Nothing." I gulped. My voice was raspy and distorted thanks to the mask. I took the extra precautions.

"Thought so." Aiyla smirked. I ignored her, because I was to busy studying the view outside of the elevator. The doors had just opened, and I saw New York again.

The busy streets, the never silent cries of the people... even in 800 years, some things never changed.

"We will be taking our trucks to the camp." Said Chiron, rushing around, trying to round up stray campers. But I was already out the door.

Thalia's POV

The nerve of that boy!I would prefer to not take my mask off, I singsonged inside my head. If Percy were here, he would've at least rolled his eyes at the boy for his insolence. 

But Percy wasn't here... and it was partly my fault. I choked back a sob, my eyes scanning the Throne Room for anyone who could've noticed. No one. Good.

I straightened my tiara, heading for the elevators. I shoved my way through the swarm of campers, pesky little children, and fought to get a spot in the elevator where the Seraphim were. But, alas, there was no room.

I made it downstairs just in time to see Alkaios sweep out the door.

"Alkaios was a son of Perseus." Said a broken voice behind me. I whirled around, rage lighting up my features.

"You cannot talk to me, you swine." I hissed at Annabeth Chase.

"You cannot pretend that you are innocent." said Annabeth in return. But her heart wasn't in it. If it was, I would've been hit with a barrage of long, complicated words that mean the same thing.

"Maybe I'm not," I snorted, adjusting my skull belt, "But I'm surely not as guilty as you." 

Alkaios's POV

I turned around just in time to see Annabeth and Thalia arguing. Good, I thought. But there was a twinge of guilt in my stomach. I never wanted to break up their friendship... but they deserved it.

Annabeth's POV

I felt sick. I didn't want Thalia to be mad at me, but there it was. I turned around to see Alkaios smirking at me. I could see his mouth because he took off his mask, and tossed it into a pocket of the void. Such power... but my thoughts were diverted when I noticed his face, up to his nose.

"Thalia." I whispered, poking her in the arm, not caring about the consequences. "Doesn't he look like... Percy?"

Alkaios's Pov

I smirked at Annabeth, then tossed away my mask. I was just about to turn around, when Era said to me in a low whisper, "She's on to you." And then she turned her face away.

She still recognizes me? After all this time? I didn't know whether to be flattered or panicked.

I turned to Era to say thanks, but she had already pushed her way to the front of the crowd.

Something's going on with her. I just didn't know what.

Chaos's POV

I watched sadly as my soldiers marched, with an army of campers following behind them. I didn't want to send Percy here. But I had no choice... it's all for the greater good.

These kids are nothing but dust and shadows. (If you get that, you are amazing) Mere specks of life in the history of the Universe. Some of them are perhaps brighter dots... but they're all the same in the end.

Fodder.

Alkaios's POV

I launched myself into the back of the strawberry truck. You would think that they would have greater transportation now... but no.

I crouched in the back of the truck, remembering my first quest...

Sitting next to Annabeth in the dim light, a lion and a zebra staring at us. There was another animal but...

I shook myself out of this. This is not the time for memories.

And then we arrived at Camp Halfblood, and I felt myself seize up.