The Darkness Within

Chapter 23

Pax POV

We all just stare at Hazel.

"Oh shi-" Percy starts but I clamp my hand over his mouth.

"Little ears here." I point to Hazel.

He starts. "You're little too, though."

"Oh shush. You know I'm not an innocent little bean like her."

He shoots me a look and smiles while I stick out my tongue. Hazel crosses her arms.

"You done yet?" She sighs.

Annabeth rubs her bloody forehead. "Not the time nor the place."

Percy and I shrug. 

"We've escaped this place before, so need to worry." He reminds her. "And Pax has a map of the emergency exit tunnels."

I pull out the map I swiped.

"Handy daughter of Hermes here. Glad you brought me with you guys now? Now let's find this son of spiders."

We split up and try to find where Arak. Annabeth trails after me.

"You didn't tie his knots correctly." Annabeth scowls.

I stare at her. "Not the time nor the place, remember?"

Annabeth sighs and looks at the ground.

"You're right..."

That startled me. Annabeth admitting that someone else is right? Unheard of.

"You okay?" I whisper.

"Well..."

Annabeth didn't get to finish her sentence. "Guys! Look over here!"

Frank waves at us from the other side of the cavern. There was a cave dug out into the wall.

"How did we not notice that before?" Piper smacks her head.

Leo lights his hand "Someone call for a hot McShizzle lighter?" He smirks.

We all ignore him and enter the tunnels. 

At the end of the winding tunnels there is a red metal door, seeming to glow in the dark.

Percy sighs. "This seems far too easy." 

"This could be how Arak escaped. We need to follow him so we can return to camp as soon as possible." Annabeth starts walking to the door.

Jason tries to stop her. "Annabeth, wait! Listen to Perseus, this could be a trap!"

Annabeth is too busy with her own thoughts to notice. I swear I can almost see a tear roll down her chin and drop to the ground as she runs too the door.

On her way to the door, Annabeth trips over a piece of spiderweb and the cavern rumbles.

"Not this again." I mutter.

Percy rushes to her and pushes her out of the way just before a boulder hits her head.

"Thanks...Perseus." She doesn't even bother to meet his gaze. Annabeth just looks at her feet.

"Guys! This cave system isn't stable. Let's go before this cavern collapses on us!" Hazel yells.

We rush to the door, but the boulders start falling on top of us.

"We're not going to make it..." Frank sighs.

Hazel clings on to Frank like a lifeline.

Leo shoots everyone his trademark smile. "Talk about an epic encore. Nice to have los amigos back together, for one last show."

"Don't talk like that."

I turn back and see Jason, struggling to use his powers to sustain the rocks.

"Go through the door, everyone. Perseus...I'm sorry."

Everyone stands there for a moment in shock.

Percy looks at him with a sad smile. "Call me Percy."

Jason smiles back as Piper starts crying. Leo and Hazel have to drag Piper away to the door.

Percy rushes us all through the door as Piper screams. Leo is sobbing into her arms and they comfort each other. Just as Annabeth is the last one to pass through the door, the boulders collapsed over Jason and the door slammed shut, disentegrating.

We stand there for a moment, nighttime darkness surrounding us.

"Jason, NOOOO!" Piper starts wailing.

Annabeth drops to the floor.

"It's all my fault! I'm...horrible. From the beginning. I don't know what came over me! I'm...sorry Piper." She cries.

Piper just sobs into her arms in response.

Leo rubs their backs and swipes away his own tears.

Everyone starts crying and huddles together. Percy and I...we don't fit in with them. We never did. He walks to the side and I follow him. He seems dejected.

"Percy...I'm here. If you need to talk..."

He doesn't answer me. He walks as far as he dares from the group. Percy stands there, motionless, for a moment. Suddenly, he pulls back his black hoodie and looks up at the stars, his usually dull blue eyes glistening with tears.

He whispers something I almost didn't hear.

"Jason says hello."

A/N: Yes I totally just did this. Yes I have no regrets.

Yes I probably just destroyed everyone's heart.

No I did not plan this from the beginning I just got caught up in the heat of the chapter.

To speed things up...

Threats and Curses ~

Reactions ~

Random Stuff ~

Rotten fruits thrown at me ~

Spammity Spam Spam ~

Also...Annabeth is redeeming herself! Yay! Can't wait to see you guys in the next chapter. Hopefully it will be soon, but school is... ⏰

An Emotionally Distressed Author Who Proabably Spends Way Too Much Time On Wattpad For Her Own Good,

Sapphy