In Demigodishness and All That...

We've Given Up Hope

Setting: During the Titan War (AU)

*****

Will Solace handed me the one thing I never wanted to see again; something I thought I never would.

But I knew it was time.

I just didn't want to believe it.

As I gripped the pithos, I noticed all of my friends, looking at me, watching me wearily and mournfully.

Annabeth was gripping her knife so tight, I was afraid the hilt might snap off.

Thalia looked a bit like me, like she was trying to accept that this was happening.

Grover was chewing on a tin can he had found somewhere, looking nervous and sad.

So many other faces, all with the same expression: despair.

At the beginning of the war, when we all yelled into the empty streets of Manhattan, FOR OLYMPUS!, our faces were filled with hope.

Now we had no more hope left. All was lost.

It was either a) surrender to the enemy, or b) surrender to death.

I silently wished that none of the above was an answer choice.

But it wasn't. I knew it; all of my friends knew it.

We were just trying to accept it.

"I don't want to do this." I muttered.

Thalia smiled at me sadly. "None of us want to do this, Percy. But we have no other choice. There's no way we can win this war."

I sighed in defeat. "I know. I just wish there was another way... This seems so hopeless."

"We are hopeless, Percy." Annabeth put in. "There's no chance for us. We have to give it up. It's over."

I looked around at all my friends; all nodding and smiling sadly.

I sighed. "This is it, then."

I met Annabeth's eyes. She nodded. 

I ignored my heart, and instead went with my head. This was the most reasonable choice to make. And I knew it.

I gripped Pandora's Jar tighter, remembering the titan Prometheus's words, If you decide that you have seen enough destruction, enough futile suffering, then open the jar. Let Elpis go. Give up Hope...

I had seen enough destruction, enough suffering. I had to let Elpis, the spirit of hope, go...

I unscrewed the lid...

...and gave up Hope.

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A/N: Okay this was a kind of sad AU; basically what might happen if Percy and the others gave up hope.

BTW: Promethues's quote up there ^^^^... not my words. Credit to Rick Riordan for that.

Elpis you liked! (ha-- get it? Elpis=hope? No? Kay then...)

See ya :)