I'm sorry, Annabeth

Nico XXXI

Nico felt his jaw drop.

Was it all just a dream? 

Nobody made a sound as Annabeth wept into Percy’s shirt. 

Nico blinked. 

Percy’s…

Dead? 

All of a sudden he was grabbing Annabeth’s collar, holding his sword in his right hand. 

“WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?” He roared, skeletons appearing from the ground near him. “WHY DID YOU KILL HIM?” 

“I…I…” Annabeth was still crying. “I’m sorry… I didn’t… I…”

She fainted. 

Piper harshly pulled Nico away from Annabeth.

“Cut her some slack, idiot! She’s in deeper pain than everyone else!” 

Nico bit his lip as the skeletons crawled back into the earth. 

If only Piper knew…

“Holy Ares, Nico! What are you doing? Oh gods! ANNABETH!” Clarisse ran towards Annabeth’s side. 

Annabeth slowly opened her eyes. 

“Percy… he… was it only a dream?” 

“No, Annabeth.” Clarisse said, tears rolling down her cheeks. “It’s real. The punk’s dead.” 

“What happened?” Rachel Elizabeth Dare walked out from the Apollo Cabin. “I was just finding Apollo, what’s all the fuss… oh my freaking gods…” 

She stopped in her tracks, gaping at the bloody sight. 

“Percy?” she turned to a nearby demigod. “Who did this? TELL ME!” 

The demigod jumped and replied shakily. 

“An-Annabeth.” 

“What?” Rachel blinked. “Annabeth Chase?” 

The demigod nodded. 

Rachel turned her head to Annabeth, who was still on the floor, Clarisse at her side. 

“Annabeth? Why…?”

Rachel walked to Annabeth’s side, putting her hands onto Annabeth’s. 

“I’m sorry, Rachel. I didn’t want this to happen… It’s that… it’s the only way to destroy Kronos…” Annabeth was still crying. Rachel pulled Annabeth in for a hug. 

“Annabeth…”

“I killed him, Rachel. I killed him. What have I done?” 

“Annabeth, it’s not your fault. You didn’t want to. Don’t blame yourself.” 

“Percy…” Annabeth looked at Percy with woeful eyes. “What have I done to you?” 

“Wait!” Will Solace was kneeling next to Percy. “There’s hope.” 

“That’s actually true.” Hazel was closing her eyes. “I don’t feel any sense of death near here.” 

Nico blinked. Hazel’s right. 

“Well then, take him into the infirmary!” Nico yelled to the other demigods. “Come on!” 

~

“I’ve done my best, I can’t help him.” 

“What? But Will! You just said…” 

“Yes, but my father can.” Will snapped. “Someone Iris-message him.” 

Rachel immediately plucked a drachma from Frank’s pocket (“Hey!”) and threw it into the nearby fountain. 

“Apollo, Mount Olympus. And be quick!” 

Apollo almost immediately appeared. 

The bad thing is, he was rapping one of his hideous raps or whatever they are called again. 

“I’m cool, and I rule, and I am so awesome!” 

Athena raised an eyebrow. Artemis was hiding her face in shame. 

“Wow, Apollo. That’s… really… interesting.” Poseidon forced a smile. 

“Um… Camp to Mount Olympus!” Rachel said, putting her hands on her hips. “I need to speak to Apollo.” 

“Oh! I didn’t see you there, dearie.” Apollo fixed his hair. “What’s up?” 

“We need your help.” Rachel said desperately. “Percy.” 

Poseidon’s face immediately turned white. 

“He’s… back at camp? How many injuries?” 

“Uh… I really don’t know how to say.” Rachel bit her lip. “Let’s just say… he’s in grave danger.” 

“Grave danger?” Nico cried. “He’s dying, for Hades sake!” 

Poseidon paled even whiter if that was even possible, and ran to Apollo. 

“Gods dammit, Apollo! Get to Camp and heal my son!” 

“Fine.” Apollo rolled his eyes. “But we need to ride my sun chariot cuz it’s too hot for ya.” he beamed. 

Rachel face-palmed. 

“We’ll be there in a moment-uh-can I have a look at Percy?” Poseidon looked at the Iris-message worriedly. 

“Lord Poseidon, I don’t think that’s a great idea…” Nico started. 

Poseidon sighed.

“I get it. We’ll be there as fast as the sunlight.” he winked as he swept his hand through the Iris-message. 

Everyone walked towards Percy, who was on the infirmary bed. The sheets were stained with blood and there was a packet of blood hanging beside his bed. 

“He’s losing blood quick.” Will said nervously, desperately looking at the infirmary cabinets for medicine and necessities. “And the wound is reopening again, I don’t know why!” 

“You said, he’s gonna survive.” Frank said with a dangerous voice. 

Will gulped. 

“I said there’s hope. Because he’s occasionally responding.” 

In cue, Percy groaned softly. 

“There’s something restraining Percy from dying but at the same time, keeping him from waking up!” Will ruffled his hair in confusion. “Why?” 

Annabeth gasped. 

“Gods… I think I know… but… it may not be true.” 

“What?” Nico asked immediately. “What, Annabeth?” 

Annabeth was shaking. 

“I don’t want to face the truth. It can’t be the truth. I don’t believe it.” 

“Annabeth, just tell us!” Nico said, a little louder than he meant to. Annabeth winced. 

“Annie…” Rachel walked to Annabeth’s side, shooting an icy glare at Nico. “What do you think is wrong?” 

Annabeth shuddered. 

“Kronos… Kronos is still in Percy’s body. He isn’t dead, because Percy isn’t dead.”