Our Last Stand (A Percy Jackson Fanfic)

7. We Explore The Path Of Death

"Well this is cheerful." Percy said sarcastically. Annabeth knew he was trying to make her laugh, but the feeling of dread she had gotten from just looking at the path had only amplified since they started walking.

"Yeah, lets just find the stupid dog toy and leave." Annabeth answered.

Percy felt her nerves, her dagger had been in her hand since the train. He felt his nerves boiling in his gut as well, but he pushed them down. They would come back later, when he was almost asleep he would realize how close to death he had came. Right now though, Percy needed to focus. Find the thing, kill whatever had stolen it, get back to the train, tell Hades to fuck off. Maybe just mentally for the last one, Annabeth would kill him if Percy's smart mouth got him killed.

Annabeth recognized the look on Percy's face, and it scared her. She could handle monsters, prophecies, hell, she could even handle Hades himself sending them on a side quest he was too scared to go on. But Percy's face scared her to her core. Every time his face shifted into that look of cold concentration, ever since tartarus, she remembered his face when he nearly killed Misery, it was the same look.

She feared that he would go back to like he was in Tartarus, and these last three years had brought him dangerously close. She thought the only reason he hadn't, was because of Sam and Lilli. Now that they weren't here...Annabeth didn't know what she would do.

They continued down the trail as it sloped downhill. It eventually let out into a small clearing. They froze at the tree line, in the middle of the clearing was a large bone. "Do you think that's the toy?" Percy asked.

"I haven't seen anything else," Annabeth answered. "So, probably."

Percy shrugged and took a step into the clearing. When nothing happened he glanced back at Annabeth and shrugged, walking further into the clearing. When he reached the bone, he crouched to pick it up as a roar sounded from the trees.

"Percy!" Annabeth called as a large drakon burst through the treeline, a wave of broken branches and leaves in its wake. The monster was easily over 100 feet long and the weight of a bus. It roared again as it charged into the clearing, leaping up towards Percy.

The drakon landed with its claw right on top of Percy, pinning him to the ground, his sword uselessly tossed aside in the grass. Annabeth rushed forward, swinging her dagger at its face. It roared as her knife bounced off its nose. Percy was twisting himself under its claw, trying to lay on his back to reach his sword.

"Don't look in its eyes!" Annabeth told him. "Its stare paralyzes."

The drakon shifted to follow Annabeth as she darted around him. Percy slipped out from under its claw as acid started to drip down its leg, burning the grass where Percy had been. His sword was still in the grass, on the other side of the drakon, with Annabeth.

"Annabeth!" he called and pointed in the grass. She looked in the grass where he pointed and rolled, ducking under the drakon's claw and rolling into a stand, now holding both her dagger and Percy's sword.

Percy dropped to the ground to avoid the drakon's tail as it lashed over his head. He jumped to his feet again and ran around the monster, heading towards
Annabeth. She was keeping the monster's eyes on her while Percy came around. When he was near its neck he motioned to her. Annabeth threw Riptide towards him. Now with the sword back in his hand he raced around the monster's head and jumped up, plunging Riptide into the drakon's eye. The drakon roared in pain, launching its head back and knocking Percy aside. Annabeth appeared next to him, crouching with him in the grass while the drakon tried to claw at the sword, only driving it deeper. It crumbled to ash slowly, still thrashing around. As its claws started to crumble, it let out one last roar that was finally cut off as the ash started to filter through the air. Percy's sword landed in the grass again.

After a moment Percy and Annabeth stood. Percy walked over and retreived his sword and Annabeth grabbed the bone. They took a moment to drink some of the nectar Annabeth brought, to heal the acid burn on Percy's leg and the cut on Annabeth's arm. On the walk back towards the train, the path was no longer quiet, birds sang and cicadas rang.

At the treeline, Annabeth motioned for Percy to wait, she held the bone at her side as she scanned the area around the train. They were gone maybe an hour, the smokers were heading back onto the train. Annabeth and Percy rushed to follow them on. The lady waiting to close the door gave Annabeth a look as she walked on board with the bone. Annabeth had no idea what she saw, and she kinda didn't want to know.

A man who Percy is pretty sure saw them come out of the treeline, smirked and clapped Percy on the back as he boarded. Percy could have sworn he said something like, "good job man."

They found Hades more or less where they left him. Cerberus gave a sharp bark as they entered through the back of the car. Annabeth thought she saw Hades throw Percy's bag back into their seats, but she was distracted by Cerberus bounding towards her. She held the bone out in front of her and Cerberus took it, bouncing back the way he had come, his three heads arguing over the new toy. Hades stood in the aisle, waiting as they approached.

"Thank you for getting the bone back. Drakons; nasty business." Hades said, a wicked smile on his face, although Annabeth didn't think its wickedness was intended.

"You're ever so welcome, Lord Hades." Percy responded, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he stooped low in a mocking bow.

Annabeth elbowed him hard in the ribs and he stood again. "You're welcome, Lord Hades." she said.

Hades redirected his attention to her after passing a glare to Percy. "If you need my help on your quest, daughter of Athena, I believe you will find it." Hades spoke again before turning and walking out of the train car.

Annabeth took the window seat this time and Percy plopped himself into the seat next to her. "Well that was fun." He said, sarcastically.

Annabeth let out a laugh, mostly in relief. They only were sitting for five minutes before the train started to move again. "Next stop, Bloomsburg." said the voice over the speakers.