Daughter of the Sea (Percy Jackson Fanfiction)

Chapter 29

ALL RIGHTS TO THE CHARACTERS (except Celeste, she's mine.) BELONG TO THE AMAZING RICK RIORDAN. I DO NOT OWN THE PJO/HoO SERIES!!!

Chapter 29 - Annabeth

After Annabeth had fallen int Tartarus, she had thought nothing worse could've happened to her. But being sucked down into the earth, unable to breathe and suffocating to death was terrible.

Right before she started to black out, she fell onto a dirt floor in a cave underground.

Gasping, she rolled onto her breath and sucked in large breaths.

The rest of her friends, except Celeste and Percy, were lying next to her.

A giant was looming above her, holding a knife to Jason and Piper.

He slit their arms and blood flowed out.

Annabeth bit back a scream as both Jason and Piper turned pale from blood loss and crumpled.

The others noticed the blood quickly.

Then it occurred to Annabeth. The giant used the blood from Piper and Jason to raise Gaea.

It must have already been past midnight. The Feast of Spes was here and Gaea was rising.

Smiling evilly, the giant went in for the kill against the demigods.

Annabeth called out, "Now!" And luckily, everyone understood.

Leaping to her feet, Annabeth and the others fought off the giant to their best ability. Of course, they couldn't defeat him without Celeste, but they had to try.

Gaea's laugh echoed through Annabeth's ears, making her wince.

The fight continued for hours on end until Annabeth heard the cries of Celeste and Percy from above ground.

They had to help them. Whatever they were fighting, it couldn't be good.

The giant was losing, but it was obvious he wasn't going to give up.

Jason and Piper were still unconscious on the ground, but their faint breathing reminded Annabeth they were still alive.

Finally, the ground began to rumble and the giant stumbled back, crying out in anger.

The earth under their feet rose them high, shoving them back above ground.

Annabeth held her breath as she traveled back through the suffocating dirt.

Then, she found herself choking again, facing Percy. He was carrying Celeste in his arms, staring at Annabeth and the rest of them. Jason and Piper had come up as well, still unconscious.

Between them was none other than Gaea.

She was smiling evilly, staring down the demigods with a cruel look.

"Well, well, well. The prophecy of seven." The goddess chuckled. "So much for that."

She waves her hand and the demigods were sent flying, landing in different directions.

Percy had dropped Celeste and she now laid on the ground, struggling to stand.

"I will enjoy killing you all." Gaea said.

She waved her hand once more and roots arose from the ground, choking the life out of them.

Except Celeste.

Celeste was standing with her hands stretched, her powers fighting the roots.

"What is this?" Gaea hissed.

Celeste, sweat running down her forehead, struggled to fight the goddess's powers.

"Seven half bloods shall answer the call." Celeste said through strain. "To storm or fire the world must fall. An oath to keep with a final breath. And foes bare arms to the doors of death."

The goddess narrowed her eyes. "The Prophecy of Seven. What does that have to do with anything?"

"You are the world aren't you?" Celeste said, still straining. "Well, I'm the storm. And I promised a long time ago to protect Percy. I will defeat you, and I will die doing it."

The goddess grew a murderous look and used more of her power against Celeste.

Annabeth was astonished that Celeste was still going.

A hurricane began to swirl around Celeste.

Gaea screamed in anger and frustration. "You can not defeat me! I am the Earth itself!"

The roots around Annabeth's neck began to loosen and she took that moment to draw her sword.

She saw Percy, Hazel, Frank, Nico, and Leo draw weapons as well.

But Celeste seemed to have it under control.

Her face grew paler by the second, but Gaea seemed to be dying.

It shouldn't have been possible. Immortals don't die. They sometimes get injured, but they only die if the mortal world starts to forget them, and then they fade away. Like Pan did.

They were supposed to stop Gaea from rising, but they had failed. They didn't really plan ahead on what to do if Gaea actually did rise.

Then, Celeste began to glow, radiating a power that Annabeth had never felt before. Stronger than anybody she had ever seen.

Gaea screamed in outrage, "Impossible!" And then disappeared in a blinding light.

She was...dead.

Everyone was silent.

And then Celeste crumpled to the ground.

"Celeste!" Percy screamed.

He ran up to his sister and cradled her in his arms, crying.

"Annabeth!" A voice yelled.

Annabeth whirled to see Reyna and campers from Camp Jupiter and Camp Half-Blood.

"What happened?" Reyna asked.

Annabeth blinked, relieved to see both camps together.

The war was over. Reyna had stopped the war between the camps and Celeste had stopped the war with Gaea.

"Jason and Piper. Get them to safety." Annabeth said.

Reyna nodded and ushered several campers to tend to the demigods wounds.

"What happened at camp?" Annabeth asked Reyna.

"Do not worry, I was able to stop the dispute. It took a lot, but it worked. I would worry about your friend." Reyna said, pointing towards Celeste.

Annabeth whirled to find Percy still cradling Celeste.

"She's dead." Percy muttered through tears. "She's...she can't be." He looked up at Annabeth with tear-brimmed eyes. "I remember everything. That headache I got back at the island, those were memories. Memories of me and Celeste before her curse. Annabeth, she's my sister, she can't-" Percy broke off to sob even harder.

Annabeth crouched down and hugged him tight. "An oath to keep with a final breath." Annabeth thought.

Everyone around was silent in respect. Celeste had sacrificed herself to save everyone.

But then, Poseidon appeared again, no longer fighting to keep his form.

He grabbed Percy by the shoulders and said three simple words, "Come with me."

Percy, Poseidon, and Celeste disappeared in a white light, and Annabeth wondered if Percy would ever be the same again.