Awakened Memories

We Missed A Spot

We Missed A Spot

Percy

The Romans and Amazons started to prepare to leave. So did my team and I. We hated that we had to leave again. It was getting harder and harder each time. We had been to Camp Half-Blood and left it within a month three times in four years. I didn't want to be back in another two years for another war. I wanted to be back and stay there with Annabeth. Each time it got harder to leave her. I knew she felt the same way.

Chiron didn't have us making shrouds or repairing armor or weapons or anything else that most everyone else had to do, he let us have our space. He knew how hard it was for us to leave each other all the time. Honestly, I was surprised our relationship had remained. Our relationship practically defined the term long-distance relationship, but somehow, we made it work.

After Annabeth left to help the Amazons I tried to stay away from her for a little bit, not wanting to be reminded that I would be leaving her.

I informed Chiron of everything that had happened during the battle, especially about how Bob helped us in the end. Then I pulled Jason to the side. "What are you going to do about Octavian? I sent his body to your barracks, but what about the empty augur spot?"

"A child of Apollo had been an apprentice of his, we'll work something out. Don't worry." Jason smiled and returned to preparing. We had all decided that we would leave tomorrow, so Annabeth and I had planned to meet up later that night. We also wanted to spend the night together. I was planning to visit my mother tomorrow before we left so that she could see that I was fine.

We also had to figure out the problem of the Athena Parthenos. We didn't know exactly what it did. We could tell it was powerful, very powerful. Athena was busy up in Olympus so we couldn't ask her about it. Annabeth didn't have any ideas either. I placed it next to Thalia's tree with the Golden Fleece. Immediately, the tree brightened and seemed to grow taller. I could sense that the barriers were much stronger. No monsters would be getting through there easily.

After we ate we went down to the amphitheater for the bead ceremony. Shrouds were burned too, some with bodies in them, which was never fun. The bead was a silver color with a janitor's broom in the middle of it, for Bob. I beamed and gladly added it to my necklace. The Romans were each given a necklace with the bead and the Amazons now had two beads.

I now had seven beads. The trident from my first summer, the golden fleece from my second, the honorary bead from the quest to free Artemis, the maze from the battle of the Labyrinth, the empire state building with the names of the fallen from the Second Titan War, Oblivion and Hermes' caduceus for the Demigod War, twin daggers and peace sign for the war against Gaea, and finally the new bead. I loved Camp Half-Blood.

Chiron gave a speech that I didn't really listen to. I just stared into the flames roasting a marshmallow contently. I watched the campers, Romans, and Amazons interact, smiling at them. Jason showed off the legion's eagle. The Fifth Cohort was overjoyed to have it back. I had taught Jason how to make an Iris-Message and he immediately contacted Reyna to tell her about the staff and how the war had turned out.

After I caught up with some of my friends from the camp, Annabeth and I met up and we went to the dock to hang out together, just the two of us. I sat holding her and our feet swished in the water. We talked about everything, the war, Bob, each other, and the other wars we had been in.

"We really shouldn't have to go through all of this." Annabeth said and sighed as she leaned against me.

"I agree." I kissed her forehead.

"I wish we could get a break. A decade without a war, I'd be fine with five years. We're twenty-three, Percy. We're old by demigod standards. We deserve a break." Annabeth brushed her lips across mine after she finished talking.

The hair on the back of my neck prickled and I got a bad feeling. Like someone was watching us.

"I'll gladly grant your wish." The whispering voice tickled my ear and I stood quickly, motioning for Annabeth to stay down and be silent. She had uncapped Riptide and looked around warily. I saw nothing in the night. A crack sounded followed by a sharp gasp and the dull thud of something hitting the dock. "Right in your neck," I saw a face accompany the words as he appeared in front of me.

At the beginning of the war Annabeth had warned us that one of the Oneiroi was missing. We had forgotten. Now I knew where he was. Phantasus stood before me, grinning in triumph.

My had tingled and I held Oblivion pointed at Phantasus. I waited for Annabeth to stand and join me. When she didn't, I looked down at her. My heart skipped a beat as I saw her slumped over on the dock and not moving.

The crack, the gasp . . . what Phantasus had said. He couldn't have killed her, could he? I didn't want to believe it, but I sensed I was on the right track.

Red filled my vision and I struck with blind rage. There was no strategy or skill behind my thrusts and slashes, just pure anger and the thirst for revenge. Phantasus used my rage to his advantage. He quickly shoved my face into the wood of the dock, breaking my nose, and then lifted me off of my feet by my neck, choking me. I clawed at his hand with both of mine as air snorted from my nostrils and I glared at him, imagining fire shooting from my eyes. I saw flickers of orange and red and realized I was so angry that fire really was coming from my eyes.

I channelled my anger to control myself and managed to grab Phantasus' wrist and force him to let go of my throat. I landed on my feet bouncing slightly and fought smarter. My sword strokes were planned and strategized to achieve my victory. Phantasus had a sword now which he knew how use very well. All three sons of Hypnos had great skill in the field of swordfighting.

I sliced his wrist and shoulder, slowly forcing him down. I kicked one of his kneecaps hard enough to break it and he fell to one knee. He punched my knee and returned the favor so that we both knelt. I punched him in the face and went to stab him in the stomach, but he maneuvered his sword into place and both of our weapons flew away.

He moved to punch me and I caught his fist, and then his other fist. I put them both in one hand and he struggled to get free. I brought my free hand down on top of his head, a lump of celestial bronze forming in my hand as I did. I smacked him with enough force to split a rock open.

Like his brother had, his body collapsed in on itself and he disappeared, banished to the Void.

I stood and rubbed my knee and messed with my nose a little bit until it hurt less, then remembered Annabeth. I limped over to her as quickly as I could and fell to the ground next to her. I pulled her into my lap and prayed she was alive. I shook her, trying to wake her. I placed my head on her chest and listened for a heartbeat. There was none.

I gently closed her eyes and hunched over her body, wailing. My howls of agony echoed through the starry night sky, ripping through the serene quiet.

Annabeth was dead.