Tartarus Champion

Changes? Nah.

Chapter 7: Changes? Nah.

Percy (POV)

I stood before Tartarus; I knelt down with my head bent as I waited for him to speak. He was quiet at first, before he said "You did well."

"Thank you, Master."

"But you could've gone without showing them your wings." He scowled; I hung my head lower and nodded.

"Sorry, Master; Jason was beginning to get on my nerves." I replied sincerely.

"I'll let it go this time." Tartarus said. "But learn to control your anger and use it to your advantage, understand, Percy?"

"Yes, Master; I will work on it."

"They really believe they have you hostage?" Tartarus mused, chuckling under his breath. "Pathetic demigods."

"For the time being; I am ready for the next instructions for my mission." I said. "Getting captured proved successful."

"I know, for now just stay where you are. Stay their prisoner, get them angry, cause a little trouble if you have to." Tartarus instructed, I nodded and stood up. "You must go now. Awake, My Champion!"

I woke up coughing up dust bunnies. Once I was finished coughing my lungs up, I looked around. I was in the attic where the old Oracle used to be. I got up and felt a weight on my arms, I pulled at the bronze chains on my wrists, how easy it would be to get out of this right now.

The attic door squeaked open, I turned to face Clarisse and Chris. Clarisse glared at me, her hand was itching toward her spear that was strapped to her back, but she restrained from taking it.

"So, you up?" she demanded through grit teeth.

I looked over myself, "I think so, but I could still be asleep." I smirked, Clarrise scowled.

Chris placed a hand on her shoulder and she calmed down considerably. "Come on," he muttered softly. "You go tell Chiron that he's up."

Clarrise nodded and left, "If he tries anything just yell and I'll skewer him." She called behind her. Chris faced me, he didn't try to mask the disappointment that filled up every inch of his face.

"I can't believe this happened to you." He muttered. I turned away.

"Believe it!" I said bitterly. He was quiet; I could feel him examining me, but I refused to look at him. He was one of my old friends, one that betrayed me.

"I'm sorry." He said, I was kind of caught off guard and faced him.

"What?"

"I'm sorry." He repeated. "We should have been smarter but-but I couldn't think right when you were trialed in Olympus. None of us were, and Annabeth was struck with too much anger and betrayal to try to think clearly, and this never should have happened to you Percy. I'm sorry."

I was quiet, thinking hard on his words, "Well it happened; I'm like this and I'm not changing. You guys are the ones who need to worry." I said.

Chris shook his head sadly, "As sorry as I am, I'm still disappointed in you. I admired you, just like everyone else did, and its hurts me to see you this way." With that Chris left. I watched him leave, almost wanting to call him back and apologize.

But I bit my lip. What is wrong with me? 2nd day in the mission and I'm already falling into their trap. I need to focus, I need to ignore them. I noticed the window and walked toward it, my chains were just long enough so I could see outside.

I saw the half-bloods doing what they always did, training, climbing the lava wall, playing volleyball. I rested my head on my hands as I watched them; memories of Camp seemed to filter inside my head like rays of sunlight. The sunlight that I always used to force into the darkened abyss of my mind, and I still did. I forced those memories back, back into the dark where they would stay locked up forever. I turned away from the window and tried to ignore the happy sounds coming from outside and sat in the corner, waiting, keeping those cursed memories away from me, where they can never change me.

I can't get soft now, I have a mission to complete. These stupid memories are getting in the way. I felt a flare of anger and bitterness toward this camp like I had felt every time I thought of it, but this time, it felt much, much stronger. I hate this camp and these half-bloods who once thought of me as someone who was worthy of attention. I forced the memories away, trying to forget the good times I had here. I sat on the floor again, bored with nothing but my thoughts. This is going to get really annoying. Might as well try to alphabetize the species of monsters I have met in Tartarus. The memories keep showing up and I keep forcing them away.

I have a mission to finish, and I intend to do just that.