Percy Jackson: Gods' Bane (DARK PERCY)

𝙰 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚍𝚘𝚠 𝚘𝚏 𝚊 𝚋𝚘𝚢 𝚘𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚋𝚛𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝

                     (RACHEL'S POV)

I let out an angry huff as I rush down the steps of Percy's apartment.

I told Sally I was going to stop Percy but at the pace he's moving I'm not sure if I will.

But, to be honest I'm not going at my full speed.

I don't know if I want to catch him.

The anger and hurt in his eyes as he left borrowed into me and settled cold in my heart. 

I don't know if I can look into them. No teenager should hold that much weight in their eyes.

I get to the end of the stairs and quickly wipe a stray tear off my face as I swiftly survey the lobby.

There's nobody in the room except an old lady coming out of the elevator. We make eye contact and she shakes her head sadly at me, like I've somehow disappointed her. I feel myself flush with embarrassment. For some reason I don't want to disappoint this complete stranger.

The old lady hobbles away after a throaty cough, and I hear her mumbling to herself.
I think she says something like "always such a sad mess."

She leaves the through the front door.

I feel a shiver go down my spine.

I almost follow the lady. I don't know why on earth I would want to follow this decrepit old lady so I ignore the urge as I open the front door and rush the opposite direction of her.

Now, where would Percy go? I used to be able to read him so well. I could've guessed where old Percy would've gone, to a friend or Annabeth for help on his quest.

But that was Percy before. This new Percy is unpredictable and broken. And I don't have a clue where on earth he would head.

Unless...

But he wouldn't right? Surely he wouldn't rush directly to Olympus with no preparation.

Would he?

I find myself running to find a taxi before my mind has fully decided.

When I finally get into one I tell the driver to head for the Empire State Building.

***

I tumble out of the Taxi while it's still moving when it begins to pull near the tower.

I see a silloette of a man standing in front of the doors, head bowed.

Percy.

Without turning he addresses me in a gravely voice, "You shouldn't have followed me, Rachel."

"Why?" I reply, "You thought I was just going to let you kill yourself?"

My voice cracks in pain a little at the last words.

He laughs a hard humorless laugh as he turns to me. "Rachel, I don't know how this is going to end, but I swear on the river stix if I die mine won't be the only godly blood spilled up there. This isn't just about me and Annabeth anymore it's about all us demigods. I owe this to them, to you too.

Whether it kills me or not."

"Percy!" I cry out, rushing closer to him so he can see the tears now shining on face. "Please, death isn't the answer here. You can't pay for death with death! This won't fix anything! You'll all just end up dead and we'll have no gods at all!"

"GOOD!" Percy snarls. "I don't owe them anything Rachel! Anything that comes their way they deserve."

"Even Poseidon? He's always been so kind to you Percy. You really want to kill him?"

"Kind!? Rachel, he gives me a store bought card once a year for my birthday. He left me and mom alone with a abusive guy that hit us when he was drunk, which was always."

He watched as we struggled for money, he stood by and ate off a golden platter when a snake almost killed me as a kid. He didn't care when I got kicked out of every school I ever went to and I thought it was because I was an idiot and didn't deserve to live, like everyone always told me."

Rachel, he watched me and Annabeth fall into Tartarus and he watched her die for his fight! I owe him least of all. The only thing he deserves is death." He glares at me. "Leave, Rachel."

I back up. "Percy, please. You're scaring me! You sound just like Luke!"

He shakes his head. "I'm starting to think that's not such a bad thing, Rachel."

"Now leave, before someone gets hurt."

(End of chapter)