The Selection

Bruises

Piper's POV

"We have to find him as soon as possible or else we will..." My voice trails as I tell Annabeth what I heard. Soon after I met King Percy, we stumbled into Annabeth.

"Lose him..." She completes my sentence. The words leave a deep impact inside my chest as my heart loses a few beat. But, I know he is alright still it feels as if something bad is going to happen.

"For that, we need to find the others, first." Lord Percy (A/N: I know it sounds idiotic but I had to write it though!) adds from behind.

"Right." That's what only Annabeth manages to say. "Piper, you alright?" She turns to me. Her intimidating grey eyes cutting through mine, exposing my every emotion. She offers me her hand. I accept it as I sit behind her on her horse.

"Percy, go and look for Nico and Will, while we will search for Thalia and Reyna. We would meet at the place where we all parted i.e. where Leo is supposed to be. With Jason." Hearing his name again kindles a desire in me. 

A craving to see him again, to listen to him while he delivers his words of wisdom every time you do something absurd. To lie beside him in complete silence, under the stars, forgetting the world for once. To visit places in his plane or hot air balloon, all types of things which have the power to fly. After all, he is the Prince of Sky. The amazing Prince of Sky. I smile as I imagine him, handsome as ever, his feet not touching the ground, as he rises high, his hair ruffling by the wind. Only then, he turns to me, gives his most appealing smile and in a flash fades away.

A hand touches my thigh, making me jump a little, on the verge of falling off the horse. It's Annabeth. 

"Piper, stay alert. We are in the middle of a war." She passes me a dagger. Oh gods, how could I forget mine!

"Annabeth, can I ask you something?" I look behind as someone attacks, I swiftly move my hands as I have been trained for. I see the person fall to the earth. The mere sight of it disgusts me and knowing that I am responsible for it... Well, I can taste bile as my stomach clenches.

"Yeah, sure." She replies as she swings her sword, killing yet another enemy.

"Where is Leo supposed to be... I mean where are we heading?"

"They must have gone to the north front. We are going deeper into the battle, almost near the border of Illea." She points out. Our pace is slow as the troop of soldiers thickens. And then, suddenly, a horse falls in front of us, blocking our path. Our horse takes steps backward hesitantly, reluctant to jump. Annabeth compels him but it doesn't budge.  

I close my eyes and the scene of him, fading away, comes to sight. I abruptly opened my eyes. I have to go. I can't halt. 

"I'm sorry, Annabeth, " I whisper. I leap off the horse and run as fast as I can. I could hear her voice, warning me. But, soon it dissolves as the noise of clashing metals and bodies hitting the ground reverberates the place. 

I slash through anything in my way. It is difficult at first but then, it doesn't matter as I find myself 'deep inside the war' as Annabeth describes it. I have to be strong and get through this. 

On the spur of a moment, everything around me blurs out as a searing pain erupts all of a sudden through my right ankle. I turn to come face to face with Johanna, her bow raised towards me. Another arrow hits me in the arm. I stand there, helpless, strength draining from my body with the oozing blood from the wound. She draws another arrow. But before she could shoot it out, someone tackles her away from me. I see a chubby yet muscular man in front of me.

"Run!" Frank says. I obey him.

I take out the arrows from my ankle and arm. My run soon turns into a slow walk as the soaring pain stricks again. I try to move my legs but all of it goes in vain. I am panting. Sweat makes the pain soar even more. It feels like a slow painful death. Though, I haven't given up yet.