The Rise of Gaea

Percy 2

     When Annabeth was too far away for him to see, Percy closed his eyes. He savored the image of her, grey eyes wide, blonde hair messily tied back. As he fell, the hissing voices beneath him grew louder; hopefully, Percy thought, because he was getting closer to landing, not because more monsters were joining his welcome party.

     With nothing to do but fall, Percy lost track of how long it had been. He could have been falling for seconds, or days, there was no way to tell. After a while, however, Percy could see light through his eyelids. Opening his eyes was a good decision, because he immediately noticed he was seconds away from crashing. Percy frantically scanned Tartarus, hoping to find something he could use to avoid becoming a demigod splat. Nothing but black and red ground, and a winding river... a river! Percy simply let himself fall, knowing that landing in the river wouldn't harm him. Of course, this was Tartarus. But Percy was an optimist.

     Sure enough, the water was freezing cold, but Percy didn't splat on the surface like an egg yolk. Progress. Immediately though, voices swamped him.

"Misery...misery...misery..."

"You'll never escape Tartarus anyway..."

"Annabeth is lost to you..."

"Join us..."

Percy stopped swimming, dazed, and allowed himself to sink into the icey cold water. They were right.

Here he was, a lone demigod, against all the worst monsters Tartarus had to offer.

How could he have been stupid enough to believe he could do it?

He would never see Annabeth... Annabeth!

     His eyes snapped open. He was lying on the bottom of the river, lungs screaming for oxygen that the river refused to provide. Percy forced his stiff, freezing limbs to move, and swam up to the surface. The river didn't seem to want to let him go, it felt as though the water was clinging to him with a thousand icey hands. Percy lunged for the shore, and pulled himself from the river's embrace. He drew Riptide even as he coughed water from his lungs. Since he knew monsters were everywhere, he tried to expel the water as quietly as possible.

     Finally, he was look around and assess his surroundings. Percy blinked in surprise. About two football fields away, there seemed to be a huge group of monsters, clustered around where he must have fallen. The river must have swept him out of their grasp while he battled it's overpowering misery. Percy allowed himself a small smile. He didn't want to push his luck, so he crept quietly away, knowing it was important to escape while the monsters where distracted, as his scent would soon give him away.

     Pain laced up his arm, so he tried not to move it when he walked. A sharp burning stung in his feet. Confused, Percy lifted a foot to see tiny cuts all over. Percy cursed. The ground was made of broken glass. Of course it was. Percy sighed, and continued, on high alert for monsters.

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     Percy was bewildered. No monsters had tried to kill him. Any monster that saw him would slink back into the shadows. But Percy was too wary to be cocky. He knew that he couldn't be the reason the monsters fled. Percy stopped short. This meant that whatever was scaring the monsters must be following him.

     He turned, eyes narrowed as he scanned the landscape behind him. Nothing. Then, a flash of movement. Percy tensed, gripping his sword in preparation for a fight. A sickly sweet smell washed over him. Percy smiled grimly. At least now he knew who he was up against.

"Come out, Arachne." He called softly. "No need to hide your ugly face in the shadows."

A low female laugh answered him. "At first, I was furious with you, Jackson. You cheated me of my prey."

Percy raised his eyebrows. "In case your fall made you forget, let me remind you. You were Annabeth's prey. She made you trap yourself." Thinking of Annabeth made his heart hurt.

"Spin lies if you wish, Jackson. I was there. You were not. But don't fear. I'm not angry with you anymore."

Percy could see her eyes glinting as she crept closer. "What a relief. That was really weighing on me." He said sarcastically.

Arachne bared her teeth. "I'm not angry with you anymore because you've given me the opportunity to wound the daughter of Athena more than if I tore her shreds."

"And how's that?" Percy asked, knowing he had to play for time.

Arachne was so close, he could see his battered reflection in her eyes.

"You!" She snarled, lunging for him.