The Mark of Athena (Fan-Fiction)

Chapter 30- Jason

This is a chapter I've dreaded updated in weeks! I postponed the updating times, but *sigh* I guess this is it. There is a warning on this chapter. If you get squeamish, scarred for life, or have nightmares, you may just want to read the disclaimer, which is always fun! But I did not go into description because I'm not that type of person. I'm a cliffhanger type of girl! So, please read now! (30 chapters already?!)

Chapter 30

Jason

     Jason walked. And he thought. He always thought now. He held his gladius tighter in one hand and clenched Katoptris in his other. He was trying hard to shake off his dream, the dream he kept having ever since Piper disappeared. The dream was that she was getting swallowed by the earth all over again, but she yelled at him for not saving her. He swallowed, trying to swallow the dry feeling in his throat. He blamed himself for not saving her when he could have.

     The summer sun beat down on him. Sweat covered his forehead, but it wasn’t just because of the heat. He was scared. He was terrified. Maybe if he was just stronger, she would be here. Her eyes would sparkle; she would flash a smile, and maybe kiss him.

     Gods, he missed her so much. Even though it had only been two days, everyday without her was another day of torture.

     While he was wrapped up in his own thoughts, Annabeth suddenly said, “I think we’re close. The cliffs look like they did in my dream.”

     “We’re close?” Hazel asked. “Thank the gods. I’ll get Nico back.” She looked worried, so she must have been missing Nico more than she had been letting on.

     A feeling spread over Jason. It felt ghostly, like if someone chanted the word he would be sucked up by an invisible force and die.

     Annabeth crouched behind a huge rock and hissed, “Get down!” When everyone followed her lead, Jason crawled next to her.  

     “What is it?” he asked.

     She pointed to the left. “Look.”

     He followed her finger and nearly gasped. The Doors of Death was on the cliff just a mere five yards away.

     There was Porphyrion, still big, but he looked stronger. He had bronze armor and his giant spear. His dragon-like legs were bright green, like lima beans. His green hair was braided with different weapons down his back. And his eyes were completely white.

     Sitting next to the king of the giants was the giant that had to be Ephialtes. He was the color of molten lava from the waist up, and his dragon legs were a swampy green color. His long gray hair was braided down his back with spears. His eyes were bright green. He held a giant spear and his bronze armor glistened in the sun.

     In chains was a scrawny boy. Nico’s black hair flopped in his face. He was hunched over, and his black clothes were smudged with mud and dirt. His arm had dry blood that looked like paint. He was leaning up against the cliff, his chest moving quickly, his brown eyes looking up at the sky.

     And Piper sat next to him. Jason’s heart pounded in his chest. Her choppy hair hung in her pale face. Her face was a sickly white, and she was covered in sweat. Her lips were blue. She was covered with bumps, bruises, cuts, and burns. Her kaleidoscope eyes moved around restlessly. Despite how sickly she was, she was the most beautiful thing Jason had seen in two days.

     “We have to get them,” he whispered, swallowing the lump in his throat.

     Annabeth touched his arm. “Calm down. We’re going now.” She looked back and said, “Get up now!”