ETERNAL || percy jackson

PROLOGUE

| PROLOGUE |
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[ new prologue]

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THE BOY DIDN'T THINK HE'D DIE SO EASILY AFTER EVERYTHING HE'S BEEN THROUGH, and he certainly did not think he'd die because of ducks. God, how much he hated those pesky little creatures right now.

But, there was something bound to happen with his luck. After all, he's escaped near death by starvation, dehydration and sleep deprivation multiple times. He'd at least thought he could escape mutant ducks, but life seemed to like to test him. It seemed like life always was in his way, and death right behind him.

As he was lying there, on the ground, beaten-up, exhausted and dying, he wondered where it all went wrong. Probably the cliché and pitiful standard; his birth. Not that it wasn't true, his birth did start it. Ever since then tragedy has followed him around everywhere he went and also affected those around him. Perhaps the greatest tragedy of all was that he was still the only one alive while he was the one who did not deserve it out of all people.

He guessed the universe finally let him pay the price for being able to live for over seventeen years. He had already lost count on how many times he had almost died years ago. He was out of luck, or whatever you could call it.

He took one last gaze at the starry night sky that seemed to only shine brighter than usually, despite the shadows of the birds flying above him that limited his view on the too beautiful heavens. It left a bitter aftertaste, knowing that when his life was coming to an end, the world seemed to go on.

But, it has always been like that.

No matter how little his time was, he understood that maybe death was the only mercy he could afford in life.

A cold wind swept through the forest, sending chills down his spine. Although he could barely feel anything now, blood rushed to his ears— or whatever he still had left.

A voice, one that did not sound like it came from this world, whispered to him, so cold and so light it almost felt like the wind was whispering him. "The stars shine for you, my boy. For they know you will join them soon."

And with that, the cold feeling that crept up his spine was gone and so was the wind.

Beside him a girl looked at the sky. Not at the stars, but at the gaps between the stars.

He did not even remember her lying next to her, but seeing her there with injuries nearly as bad as his, he guessed it didn't matter as she was not going to last long either.

He was sure it was not her voice that spoke to him. Her breathing may have been as fleeting as his, and barely there, it just wasn't possible.

Another moment passed, and he looked back at the stars, unlike the girl who had already closed her eyes. If it weren't for the moonlight, he wouldn't have seen her tears rolling down her cheeks, to the ground beneath them.

Another dreading moment passed and the boy wondered who she was, whom she was thinking of in her last moments and for who or what she was crying.

His breathing turned shallower, and so did hers.

The last thing he could hear was the sounds of the birds above him, gawking and circling above him, as if they were teasing him. They might've looked like ducks, but they sure as hell didn't sound like them.

In the far distance, as he looked back where he had laid not many moments ago, he had heard a name escaping the mouth of the girl who had lasted only a moment longer than him.

"I'm sorry, Percy."

And when the moment came the boy drew his last breath, the heavens trembled, for the gods had felt true fear.

For the stars were gone, and the darkness that had been between the stars reigned the heavens.