There Was No Moving On (Heroes Of Olympus Fanfiction)

VII: Funeral surprises

Hazel Levesque

Nico's news got me demented. There was no way Percy had survived, not that I didn't want to or anything. But we all saw his lifeless body. His shirt was stained with blood, his stomach was impaled, he had no pulse, he wasn't breathing, even Apollo, the god of healing, said that he couldn't save him.

But then again, if you're a demigod, everything is possible.

"Hazel?" I didn't realize that I was in shock until Nico waved his hand in front of me snapping me out of my thoughts.

"We have to tell the others!" Fanning myself, "oh gods, oh gods, oh gods!" I breathed "We have to tell Annabeth! We have to arrange a search group for him! I can even ask Frank if he could-"

"Hazel, we're not even sure yet." He stared at the tree, where the Fates had appeared. "I know the Fates said he isn't dead, but I still don't understand. I swear there was that feeling, the buzzing in my ears...I just...I don't get it." he sighed and turned toward me "it's not even close to the feeling that I had when Leo died and came back to life."

Nico was right. At the war with the Gaea, Leo had sacrificed himself, and taken the Physician's cure, me and Nico both sensed when he came back to life, but this? This was different.

But part of me wanted to believe that Percy was still alive. Everything had changed since the day he died. Both camps were silent. There were no games, no celebrations, less training. It's as if a valuable part was taken away from them. He has become a part of a family for both camps, especially at Camp Half-Blood. The sea wasn't as sparkly or as clear anymore, the trees were dark and gloomy filled with monsters. Activities, dinner time, wasn't as thrilling as before. I didn't want to lose hope.

"Nico, we're demigods." I reminded him. "Everything is possible."

"Where is his body?!" Annabeth demanded.

She and Nico we're both at the ground, while Annabeth had her arm pressed on Nico's throat making him gasp for air.

As soon as we came out of the shadows, the smell of the sea hit us. They were burning the shroud on the Amphitheater. Roman and Greek campers, stood side by side, Satyrs, Centaurs, Wood nymhs and any other magical creature bowed their heads. The seven, Calypso, Grover, Thalia, Chiron, even Clarisse, stood at the front.

You see, in the Underworld we lost track of time. Turns out the day we shadow traveled back was August 18th, the day we burn the shroud of Percy and also his 18th birthday. We shadow traveled in the middle of the burning of the shroud and Annabeth began choking Nico to death.

The fire represented the campers moods, but now the fire turned black as coal. Instead of smelling suffocating smoke, they smelled like the fresh sea breeze.

"I could-tell you- if- if- you weren't- choking me to death" Nico said between gasps, his face now turning blue.

Frank and Jason tried pulling her away from Nico, but Annabeth elbowed Jason on the shin which made Frank back away. Will Solace tried to but in and only got a death glare from Annabeth that made him whimper.

Annabeth pressed her arm harder "So you admit taking his body!"

Body?

"Annabeth!" Making her look up "We were in hell. Literally!"

She let go. Nico sat up gasping for air. Annabeth stood up, gave Nico a hand and patted him on the back. She faced me, gesturing for me to continue.

I told them about our visit in the Underworld and Nico seeing the Fates. Me and Nico took turns explaining, mostly me because Nico was still gasping for air. Everyone was still, listening to every single word we uttered.

Some girl on the Demeter cabin spoke up and said, "Percy's body is gone."

Annabeth ignored her and crossed her arms, her stormy gray eyes red from crying, her sandy blonde hair was pulled up in a ponytail, lose strands kept falling down, there were dark circles in her eyes, she had her bone sword sheathed on her waist, which even without she would have looked extremely intimidating. Her eyes were filled with hope, but she hesitated and asked "So, what's your point?"

"Percy, might be alive." Everyone gasped. Annabeth's hand flew to her mouth. Some began demanding for search groups, some had shocked faces, some was crying.

"SILENCE!" Chiron's voice made everyone of us quiet. There was silence, only the howling of the wind and the crackling of the burning shroud, it was a shame seeing the shroud burn to pieces. Chiron turned to me. He was wearing a CHB shirt, and his whole horse hind tucked in his magical wheelchair. He gestured for Will to push his wheelchair towards us "Hazel, my dear, are you both sure that Perseus might still be out there?"

Then, suddenly, the smell of a sea breeze spread through the air, our eyes trained on the Poseidon cabin. Water circled through the thin air, forming a figure of a man walking towards us. His figure solidified. He was wearing Bermuda shorts and a Hawaiian shirt and Birkenstock, at his hand was a three pointed pitchfork. A Trident. "The daughter of Pluto speaks the truth." The god of the see exclaims, his voice was calm but his sea green eyes betrayed him. "My son, Perseus, lives."