Come back please.

Chapter 3: Deadly nightmares

Annabeth had a nightmare.

You may wonder why a dead demigod would dream, Annabeth didn't understand either.

The dream took place at the 600th floor of the Empire Building.

Annabeth could have made a 10 stars architect.

Although the construction hadn't finished, Mount Olympus looked absolutely stunning, even better than it used to look. The ivory white mable columns outside the Athena temple exposed in the sunlight, gave out a beautiful soft gleam of brightness. (since it was on the 600th floor, supposed the sunlight was quite strong)

A gigantic Poseidon statue stood in the middle of an elegant fountain, with sea shells and pearl reflecting the sun from the bottom of the pool through the water. Annabeth walked through the garden with olive trees, dark green trees lined at the two sides of the stone path, the branches reached out to the opposite side and formed a tunnel, filtering the strong sunlight. A shinny Apollo statue (as shinny as the god himself) at the end of the pathway, was shooting golden arrows into the clear sky, the arrow turned into nothing but a sparkle in the middle of the air. Last but not least, an Aphrodite statue covers with a veil of pink sparkly light, at the corner. (Well she didn't demand where would it be placed)

Annabeth looked at those unfinished architecture designed by herself and sighed. She was just one step away to her dream.

"Hello kid."

Annabeth jumped, the mother of Earth greeted from behind, she appeared in a physical form, with soil colour hair and green-black colour eyes, just like the crust of the earth. Annabeth's hand moved to the side of her waist, but she grabbed nothing. 

Ugh.

She hated herself for always forgeting  her dagger was already lost in Tartarus. But the drakon bone sword Damasen gave her was not here either.

Annabeth bit her lip, she was unarmed before the mother nature.

"Are you looking for this, dear?" A dreamy smile spreaded on Gaea's face, playing Annabeth's dagger between her soil-like fingers. 

The scene changed. Annabeth was in the throne room, the light was dim and it was empty.

"Hi Annabeth." A familiar voice spoke, the echo in the hall was almost blood-curdling. She turned around and saw Luke Castellen standing before Hermes' throne, holding her dagger.

Before Annabeth could respond, the boy stabbed the dagger into his stomache. Annabeth shrieked and caught him before he fell on the ground. She hugged his body tightly, her heart was throbbing," No! Luke no... Not again..." Annabeth look into his eyes, instead of blue, Luke's eyes were the same colour as Gaea's.

The room started to spin.

Annabeth bursted into tears, what was happening?

When she opened her eyes, her knees were jelly, her hands were shaking so bad. She was standing in the middle of Arachne's chamber, the entrance of Tartarus. Annabeth looked around to see if the spider women is around, and she spotted the monster-sized Chinese spidercuffs. Suddenly she heard a snarl from behind, an absolute terror ran through her, she ran as fast as she could, she had never been so frightened. By the next second, the lights went out.

Annabeth was running along a dark tunnel, her foot steps caused echo in the area. She was panting so hard that she had to stop and catch her breath. She was surrounded by the familiar wet heavy air.
The labyrinth.

Wasn't it already collapsed?

A boy with black hair and orange t-shirt walked out from the darkness opposite her.

"Percy!" Annabeth mumbled, trying to reach her boyfriend. He didn't respond. Although he was walking towards Annabeth, he seemed  hearing nothing. Under the dim light, Annabeth saw another girl holding Percy's hand, they were chatting and laughing, like a couple. And then they just walked past her, like she was transparent, and disappeared into the darkness again.

Annabeth couldn't breath.

The pain in her chest was growing. She could get through Luke's death, she could fight the nightmare of Arachne, but she couldn't face Percy's betrayal. Because he was her only hope, only escape, only reason to stay alive.

Annabeth felt like she was falling.

Usually it means the dream is over, but not this time. In the darkness, Gaea's deep voice whispered in her head, "You really think I will let you, such a great hero, go straight to Elysium?" She laughed scornfully.

Annabeth tried to trap her terror and push it down, but those heartbreak moments, most horrible nightmares, kept replaying in her brain, she was screaming and crying uncontrolablely.
Fear had taken over her.

"I will not let the 'wisdom's plan' destory me" Gaea said, her soft voice ran through Annabeth's veins, her ears pounded, her head was burning,  like some kind of deadly poison was racing up straight to her brain. "Stop struggling, Annabeth Chase."

Annabeth stared into Gaea's eyes, "your soul belongs to me now."