My fore-head is bleeding, my breathing hasn't slowed down, and I'm pretty sure Percy and the others aren't doing much better. I would like to look behind me to know for sure, but blood covers my left eye and I don't think that my already weakened resolve could handle that.
Why, why must things always go so wrong for us?, I think as I run through the unforgiving land known as Greece.
"Annabeth, keep going!", Percy yells behing me. Can he really feel my confidence slip from behind me? "Were going to make it, believe me!", he continues.
I can't reply, I'm too busy trying to hold back my pent up tears. If I cry, the blood covering my left eye will run. I dare not laugh as the thought reminds me of when normal women worry about their make-up running.
Normal. I'm not normal am I? Normal people don't run from a horde of cyclops coming with increasing speed from behind them huh?
"Don't worry guys, were almost there!" Leo screams from behind me.
"Oh no you don't son of Hepheastus.", Gaea says. Is it me, or has her voice become more awake, more alive? "You can try to boost their courage, but even if I do let you get to your little boat, it won't make a difference. You will still be destroyed!"
A hum rings all around us, the sound of Gaea's laughter. It sounds like a hundred boulders all being crushed at one time in a seemingly never ending cycle. I can't imagine her laughng at anything else, but the chosen seven in such a hopeless situation.
"SHUT UP!", Frank suprisingly screams. "KEEP GOING YOU GUYS! WE CAME ALL THIS WAY, WERE NOT GOING TO LET A SLEEPING GIANT STOP US ARE WE?"
It didn't sound like a rhetorical question. It sounded like he really wanted, no, damanded an answer from us. I answered by running with a little more hope and resolve. Hopeful thoughts filled my head.
Were going to make this. I'll stay with Percy, no, everybody for the rest of my life.
"He's right" said Piper in a confident voice. It seems a little unusual since we're in such a hopeless situation.
We're almost there. Only a few more steps...
Then, just as my spirits start to rise, Hades yanks us by the chains.
A Cyclops leaps and throws himself at us. He misses the ship, thankfully. Though, he's only atleast 5 feet from it, he could still easily snatch us up at the rope ladder.
I can't let this steal any confidence from me. I'm afraid if I do, I won't be able to muster anymore up.
You're a child of Athena, Annabeth. Athena, the goddes of wisdom, weapons, and strategy. That's all the elements needed in your situation, in your war.
My mind races with immediate ideas. Then, from all the loose thoughts, I sew an idea together.
"Jason", I realize it's the first time I've spoken the entire time, I better make these words count then. "Carry Hazel to the Ship's ballista."
"But", Hazel cries, "what about you guys? I want to help!"
"You will, you'll fire the ballista along with Coach Hedge for us. We will need aerial support."
"But...Okay then.", she hesitantly agrees.
"Jason, you come back down and help. Everyone else, we have a war to fight."
Why, why must things always go so wrong for us?, I think as I run through the unforgiving land known as Greece.
"Annabeth, keep going!", Percy yells behing me. Can he really feel my confidence slip from behind me? "Were going to make it, believe me!", he continues.
I can't reply, I'm too busy trying to hold back my pent up tears. If I cry, the blood covering my left eye will run. I dare not laugh as the thought reminds me of when normal women worry about their make-up running.
Normal. I'm not normal am I? Normal people don't run from a horde of cyclops coming with increasing speed from behind them huh?
"Don't worry guys, were almost there!" Leo screams from behind me.
"Oh no you don't son of Hepheastus.", Gaea says. Is it me, or has her voice become more awake, more alive? "You can try to boost their courage, but even if I do let you get to your little boat, it won't make a difference. You will still be destroyed!"
A hum rings all around us, the sound of Gaea's laughter. It sounds like a hundred boulders all being crushed at one time in a seemingly never ending cycle. I can't imagine her laughng at anything else, but the chosen seven in such a hopeless situation.
"SHUT UP!", Frank suprisingly screams. "KEEP GOING YOU GUYS! WE CAME ALL THIS WAY, WERE NOT GOING TO LET A SLEEPING GIANT STOP US ARE WE?"
It didn't sound like a rhetorical question. It sounded like he really wanted, no, damanded an answer from us. I answered by running with a little more hope and resolve. Hopeful thoughts filled my head.
Were going to make this. I'll stay with Percy, no, everybody for the rest of my life.
"He's right" said Piper in a confident voice. It seems a little unusual since we're in such a hopeless situation.
We're almost there. Only a few more steps...
Then, just as my spirits start to rise, Hades yanks us by the chains.
A Cyclops leaps and throws himself at us. He misses the ship, thankfully. Though, he's only atleast 5 feet from it, he could still easily snatch us up at the rope ladder.
I can't let this steal any confidence from me. I'm afraid if I do, I won't be able to muster anymore up.
You're a child of Athena, Annabeth. Athena, the goddes of wisdom, weapons, and strategy. That's all the elements needed in your situation, in your war.
My mind races with immediate ideas. Then, from all the loose thoughts, I sew an idea together.
"Jason", I realize it's the first time I've spoken the entire time, I better make these words count then. "Carry Hazel to the Ship's ballista."
"But", Hazel cries, "what about you guys? I want to help!"
"You will, you'll fire the ballista along with Coach Hedge for us. We will need aerial support."
"But...Okay then.", she hesitantly agrees.
"Jason, you come back down and help. Everyone else, we have a war to fight."
Last edited: