Percy Jackson and the Dark Elites

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Ruin

Ruin stood over a table. His sweaty palms shook as they gripped the edge. On it was his sister. He could see her little form underneath the dark blue shroud. Little silver and sometimes yellow stars dotted the fabric.

She wasn't a demigod, so traditionally she would be buried, not burned. But with everything that had happened, it felt safer to hand her off to her parents, to his parents, in the hands of the gods.

He never would've left something he honestly cared about to the gods before, but now that Olympus was open, he needed to be sure shed make it to Elysium.

She was young, and very innocent. It would be cruel of the dates to hold her back.

But he wondered what would happen when the Fates saw her pass through judgement, and then connected the dots? Realized who he was?

He didn't see the point in hiding in his hood anymore. He felt like he could be Percy again. He'd lost everything he wanted to protect.

Of course he couldn't. His lies had destroyed any chance he stood at returning. He'd barely gained, and then lost the trust of the campers. And he wholeheartedly convinced them that Percy was dead.

He'd convinced Chaos that he was dead. If Chaos saw that he was Ruin, he would punish the campers.

Ruin twisted the corner of the shroud in his hands. The colors were all too similar to Chaos' doors. The doors to Olympus, the doors of Death, and then Chaos.

She had always refused to be afraid of Chaos. She loved the night sky. And she swore nothing would ever take it away from her.

The door behind him opened. "Ruin."

Annabeth walked up and rested her hand gently on his arm. "We,were going to burn the bodies tonight, Chiron said he was willing-more than willing to have her... join them."

"Burn them, does that seem right to you?" He wondered.

Annabeth held her hand up and touched the outside of his hood. "The Fates promised Elysium to all of them. They won't have to stand trial. She could... be with her mom. She's probably with her right now, the shrouds are just tradition."

Ruin pulled his trembling hand off the table and touched her wrist. He guided her hand away from his face. She was looking intently underneath his hood.

"There's something you need to know about her." He said before he could stop himself.

She looked down at the little body. "No, there's nothing, you don't owe me anything..."

"She-"

Annabeth squeezed his hand. "Please, are you coming?"

He responded weakly. "Yes."

He turned to the table. was he supposed to leave her here? Carry her and drop her in the fire? "How do I..."

"I'll have someone come get her. Nico Do Angelo, he's good with this stuff."

"I'm aware. If you want, you should talk to Chiron about involving Bark and Bones. Chiron only."

"Are they children of Hades?"

Ruin quietly pulled away from the table, but he couldn't move his legs.

Annabeth put her hand in his back and steered him towards the door.

They walked quietly down the hall. But Ruin needed to vent. He needed to talk to her as himself, someone she had known since twelve, someone she had dated and loved.