The Lone Guardian (A Percy Jackson Fanfiction)

Chapter 18

First, I'd just like to say, thanks so much for 1k reads! That's amazing! Secondly, before y'all read this chapter, just know that this was the plan from the very beginning...

Third Person POV

Immediately, Apollo released the sunlight and heat preventing the campers from leaving the camp's borders as every god and demigod raced towards the falling son of Poseidon. With a thrust of his trident, the god of the sea sent a geyser of saltwater towards Percy to catch and gently lower him to the dust covered battlefield.

Apollo slid to the ground next to Percy and willed the breastplate away with a snap of his fingers to reveal a torn, bloody Camp Half-Blood shirt and a gaping wound. The god of healing quickly pressed his hands down on the wound, receiving a groan from Percy, and started chanting in Ancient Greek.

"Apollo," Percy whispered. "Apollo, stop. You know there's nothing you can do."

"That doesn't mean I can't try!," Apollo exclaimed, before resuming his chant.

"What do you mean, Percy?," Poseidon asked shakily from his son's side next to Apollo, tears gliding down his face in fear for his son's life. Percy weakly shook his head.

"The prophecy, Dad. 'And joining the lost at long last.' There's no use fighting it," he replied. The valley grew silent as the meaning of the last line of the prophecy was finally understood. Apollo suddenly cursed.

"I can't heal him. He's lost too much blood and he used too much energy to create that storm," he said sadly. Thalia was the first to break the following somber silence from the front of the crowd.

"Say hi to them for me, will you, Kelp Head?," she asked with a weak smile as tears escaped her electric blue eyes.

"Of course, Pinecone Face," Percy answered with a grin. "Grover? Come over here, man."

The satyr shuffled closer, his lip quivering as he cried.

"End the empathy link. Now. Before it's too late," Percy said. Grover nodded and closed his eyes for a moment in concentration.

"It's done, Perce," he said a minute later.

"Good. Can't have my best friend turning into a vegetable person, can I?," Percy chuckled, but it turned into a coughing fit.

"Am I really your best friend, Percy?," Grover asked when he recovered. With a sudden surge of strength, Percy reached up and hugged Grover tight, his eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"You're the greatest friend I've ever had, G-man," he whispered. Grover returned the hug until a small voice interrupted from behind.

"Percy? Are you gonna be okay?," Elizabeth asked quietly.

"No, Lizzie, I'm not. I'm going to see your sister," Percy answered with a ghost of a smile.

"Will you tell her about me?," Elizabeth asked, too saddened to correct him.

"How could I not?" Percy said. Elizabeth wrapped him in a hug.

"I'm gonna miss you, Percy," she sobbed.

"Me, too, Elizabeth. Stay strong, for me," Percy whispered. Athena approached next and pulled her weeping daughter into her arms.

"Percy?," she began. "Thank you. For everything you've done for Annabeth. And Elizabeth. Please, tell Annabeth... how proud I am of her."

Percy nodded with a smile and turned to Chiron, who stood nearby, crying silently.

"It was an honor being your student, Chiron," he said. Chiron smiled.

"It was an honor being your teacher, Percy," he said gently. Next, Percy turned to Artemis, who looked at him sadly. He reached into his pocket and winced as he pulled out a slightly wrinkled piece of folded paper.

"Artemis, take this and read it when they burn my shroud," he said as he held it out to her.

"W-," she began, but Percy cut her off.

"Please," he pleaded. She nodded solemnly and took the paper, carefully putting it in her own pocket. Finally, Percy turned to his father, who sat silently by his side and cried.

"I don't have much time, Dad. Tell Tyson... I love him and it was an honor being his big brother," Percy said quietly. Poseidon nodded and wrapped Percy in his arms as fresh tears fell down his cheeks.

"I love you, Dad," Percy said, as tears of his own slid down his face.

"I love you, too, son," Poseidon whispered. By now, everyone in the clearing was crying silently as their hero's breaths began to slow.

"It's not all bad, you know. At least, I'll be able to see them again, right?," Percy said, choking back a sob. "See... Annabeth."

With that, the savior of Olympus took his last shuddering breath, his mouth still holding his troublemaker smile as his sea-green eyes closed peacefully and a single tear escaped the corner of his eye.

Perseus Jackson was dead.

I gotta be honest, I almost cried writing this part. Hope you enjoyed the feels, cause more are sure to come in the next chapter (also the last chapter) and the epilogue.