Unwanted

Chapter Nineteen

The first day went well, with hardly any complaining or arguing. Luke and I led the group, conversing quietly about the prophecy and more about what it meant for the two of us. While everyone did their best to hide it, it was obvious that we were all nervous, each of us trig to decipher the prophecy on our own. As much as it pained me to say it, Annabeth was our best bet. As a daughter of Athena, discovering the meaning behind the prophecy would be easiest for her to do.

That was how I found myself slipping back into the group from the front, slowing myself down as we walked until I was side by side with Annabeth, who brought up the back. She was the outcast of the group. She wasn't comfortable being in the middle anymore, mot since everyone had really discovered what she'd done to me. She wasn't trusted.

I felt sorry for her. I knew what it was like to not be trusted, to be the outcast. In my first life, as Percy and not Anagenniménos, I would be the outsider at all of the new schools until I made friends. Making friends was hard for me, as everyone had someone and I had nobody. I was the new, weird kid who couldn't read and couldn't sit still. The one that meant trouble. So people stayed away from me, for the most part, until they got to know me. And that conveniently made getting to know me more difficult.

But I knew what Annabeth was going through. I felt sorry for her, and I knew that I needed to include her in the group. She was critical in our unraveling of the prophecy.

"Hey."

Annabeth looked up, confused and surprised at seeing me beside her. Thalia looked back, raised an eyebrow, and continued walking forward. She leaned back into the group and began talking again.

"Hi." Annabeth said weakly. "What can I do for you, Percy-I mean, Anagenniménos-or Percy, whichever you're going by-"

"Percy is fine. Anagenniménos is a mouthful, if we're being honest here." I smiled. Annabeth was nervous. I needed her to calm down.

Annabeth laughed, but it was forced. "O-okay, Percy. What can I do?"

"Honestly Annabeth, you're the one who's the best with prophecies. I need you to stop hanging back here and regroup with us. We have to figure this one out together, despite any bad blood between us." I said gently, trying not to be too blunt.

Annabeth sighed, raking a hand down her face. "I-I know. I guess for a daughter of Athena, I'm pretty stupid, huh?"

I blinked, confused at what she was talking about. "What?"

Annabeth chuckled, before a sad smile crossed her face. "You're still the same seaweed brain. I was stupid to betray you, to betray all of you. I wasn't thinking, but I guess I can't really take back what I've done. I just have to move forward. That's what you were talking about, right?"

"Yeah." I patted Annabeth's shoulder, smiling softly. "Go catch up with them. We need your help."

"Yeah." Annabeth repeated, and jogged forward to catch up with the group. I lingered in the back for a few more seconds, watching as she exchanged a few words with Thalia before joining the huddle of people.

Lingering back turned out to be a good idea.

We were surrounded in seconds, Migimites coming out of nowhere in huge clusters. By hanging back from the group for mere seconds, I was able to spot them first.

"Migimites! Arm yourselves!" I screamed, charging the nearest cluster of Migimites. Slashing through two in one stroke, I saw Thalia and Luke begin fighting side by side, hacking through the monsters without mercy. Annabeth rolled over to my left, the new dagger I'd given her clutched in her grasp.

Poor Hazel and Frank were terribly outnumbered, and without proper weapons to defend themselves against the migimites, they soon found themselves held captive. Angered at the sight of the couple held within the grasps of the hideous black beasts, I stabbed up the throat of one Migimite and ran to free them.

Leo met me halfway, joining me as I ran towards Hazel and Frank. His entire body aflame, he fought, the fire seeming to emit from even his eyes. By the time we reached Frank and Hazel, however, it was too late.

The migimites had regrouped into one huge cloud, circling around two members of our quest. Hazel and Frank struggled within the grasps of the migimites, but it was fruitless. Annabeth ran up behind me, panting and out of breath. Thalia and Luke came next, their weapons still drawn, a murderous look on each of their faces.

"Put them down!" Clarisse shouted, glowing a vibrant red. If the Migimites could have laughed, they would've broken into hysterics, their beastly features mocking our misery and exhaustion.

We were no match for them. The feeling of heavy guilt sank into my chest as they swarmed around us, vastly outnumbering us. Annabeth was taken down first, then Jason, Piper, Leo, Thalia, Luke. Finally, it was just me.

I stood alone.

And soon, we were all swept away.

Carried away by the black reign.

And the unsettling feeling in my gut was telling me exactly what the prophecy meant.

I knew who would perish.

And I couldn't let it happen.