Of Demigods and Monsters (Leo Valdez x Reader)

LII

You

I couldn't feel anything. It was like every nerve in my body had shut off. I gave it a few seconds before I started feeling the gentle breeze on my skin and then the course texture of dirt under my finger tips.

The first thing I had to think was if I was dead. I snapped my eyes open. Was death this dark? I mean, it would make sense.

It took me a few moments before my eyes adjusted to the dark and I could somewhat make out a rocky cavern above me. Roots seemed to be growing from the roof which also made me realize that I was close to the surface.

I could feel pain in my leg and shoulder, but more defining was the pain around my stomach. I gasped, as if I was coming out of pain medication. Yet, just as soon as it came, it was slowly fading.

I slowly sat up, taking a look around me before realizing that the earth was moving around me. More than that, it was flowing over my legs and arms. With horror, I realized that the Earth was patching me up, slowly closing the broken skin.

"No stop!" I mumbled, shooting up onto my feet. I grimaced when the pain immediately returned.

A voice seemed to echo through my head. "And leave you for dead?" The voice said. "Why would I ever do that?" The woman seemed to materialize from the wall.

"Stay back." I held up my hands, but immediately regretted it when my shoulder screamed in pain from where I had been injured earlier.

Gaea shook her sleeping head. "Don't forget that you are in my domain. I am strongest here in the earth, and even stronger seeing as I'm so close to awakening."

I took a closer look around, realizing that I was in what looked more like a tunnel. There was a faint bit of light coming from one side of the passage, giving me the light to look around. It still didn't give me enough information to where I was.

"Let me heal you," Gaea said. "It is of no use having you come so far just to die here."

She took a step toward me, but I flinched away. "Don't touch me. You're a monster."

"I am the mother of all things. I was here before all else. You misunderstand me and my purpose. I only want to renew this earth."

"You convinced your son to kill your own husband. What is more sickening than that."

She took a step toward me with an outstretched hand, but I didn't have the energy to step away. "Don't."

Gaea didn't listen, placing one of her earthy hands on my shoulder and letting her power flow over me. I shuddered, feeling the unnatural taint like a sickening thud in my chest. When I finally gained enough strength, I pushed her off, and she didn't seem to mind.

"You should thank me." Gaea said.

I shook my head. "I don't understand. I thought you wanted demigods dead. We're trying to stop you from rising but you still save my life?" I dropped back to the ground, letting my back rest against the earth wall.

Gaea let out a small chuckle. "Of course I would, but my reasons for saving you are for my own gain. Your friends wouldn't be able to help me as much as you would."

"I won't tell you how to win. I won't help you either. The knowledge I possess will only be used for your destruction."

"We'll see about that."

I felt the chain around my neck almost as instinct, feeling a bit released that my charm was back on it. Perhaps it was charmed to return just as Percy Jackson's pen sword returned to his pocket every time.