Percabeth Betrayed

Chapter 47 - I Get Told off by a 14 Year Old

Hey, everybody. Don't be mad, but it's been nearly a month and a half since I've updated. This really sucks. I've had an idea in my head for like three weeks but didn't decide to write it down until today. So... Thanks for sticking with me! I told you I'd be back. 

On another note, the guess my age challenge. You'll never believe what happened. Out of the nearly 70 to 80 guesses that I got, NOT ONE PERSON guessed my age. Not one. Wow. So, according to the rules, it doesn't get revealed. And it wouldn't be worth it to hold another challenge, because you all have already guessed and would know which answers are wrong. 

So, without further adieu, chapter 47. 

Reyna

It felt like I was falling for days. In reality, I was probably falling for only a few hours. It was pitch black, and my eyes did not seem to want to adjust to the darkness. It struck me how warped reality was in Tartarus. Even when skydiving, it only takes a few minutes to reach the ground (at least so I'd heard.) In Tartarus, it was like I was falling 1,000 times the height of the sky, maybe even more. Instead of the core of the Earth, there was Tartarus.

On the way down, I had a lot of time to contemplate. Jake was a traitor against us. He put demigods under his spell, while he worked alongside Gaea, and who I now guessed was Tartarus. The metal walkie talkie, the secret ventures into the woods, the charming smiles, it all made sense. 

And Percy knew. Percy and Annabeth knew all along but no one would listen. Not one demigod would even think to defy Jake because they were being controlled. Percy and Annabeth couldn't have died. They didn't die. They left. No one could find them because they didn't exist on Earth anymore. They weren't demigods. They were a part of the Chaos Warriors. 

I was certain. I hadn't been this certain about something in a long time. I needed to get back to the surface. I needed to speak with them. I wanted to see them, alive and healthy underneath those cloaks and intimidating wings. 

They had survived Tartarus. I could too. But they had each other. One demigod against a thousand monsters was not going to work. Two couldn't have survived either, not without help. There had to be something, someone, down here who understood and could help me find a way back up to the surface. 

My surroundings started turning red. My throat dried up and it felt like my face was blistering from heat. About a mile below me, I could make out two, no, one! shadowy figure making it's way at a quick pace across the ground. The heat was causing double vision, and it took all my strength to pull out my sword to face whatever was below me. That is, if I didn't splatter on impact. 

But as I neared the ground, I felt my body slowing, as if gravity was trying to force me through a pool of tar. I was still falling, but not as fast. At worst, I would gain a broken bone or two when I hit the ground. 

The ground creeped closer and I could barely make out what the figure was. It was... a girl?

She had her arms raised above her head and her eyes closed in concentration, and I realized that she was the one slowing my decent. 

My fall slowed even more, until eventually I was set softly onto the ground beside the girl. She had her hands on her knees, her head hanging, and looked about to pass out from the effort. I didn't approach her quickly, seeing that she had two daggers strapped to her waist and a glowing bow slung over her shoulder. But as she teetered in the hot Tartarus breeze, I rushed over and caught her before she collided with the sharp ground. 

"Who are you?" I demanded.

The girl moaned and opened her eyes, revealing glowing light blue irises that flashed a dangerous gray in the light, before pushing herself out of my arms and into a standing position where I could see her clearer.

She was young, maybe 14 at the most. Her tall and lanky figure told me she was fast, but probably strong. He mousy brown blonde hair was pulled up into a pony tale with a stretched out blue rubber band. She wore a tattered blue tank top with ripped up jean shorts and sneakers. Although she was obviously hurt, she held herself with confidence and pride. 

"Not even a thank you?" she snarkly replied, eyeing me with a dangerous glint in her eyes. "I just saved your stupid life." She folded her arms and scowled,wincing at the faint movement. 

"Um, thanks," I told her.

"Don't expect me to say no problem, because it was a problem," she muttered in return. That reminded me of my unharmed body. 

"How did you do that? Are you a demigod? A goddess? A witch?" I growled and held my sword tight. Never in the past 27 years had I seen powers quite like this girl's. 

The girl laughed. "Come on! A witch? Are you kidding me?" The laugh sounded foreign in the glowing red terrain, but the girl didn't seem to think much of our surroundings. "I'm a demigod, like you."

"Daughter of?" 

"Hecate. Obviously. But stronger than the usual I guess." She glared at me. "You?"

"Bellona."

"Seriously? Of all the possible help you give me, it's a Roman?!" she yelled to no one in particular. 

"Got a problem with that?" I growled, inching closer so my sword was only a few feet away from her unprotected chest. 

The girl rolled her eyes. "Of course I have a problem. I'm Greek. You're Roman. We," she gestured to the two of us, "Do not get along." 

I froze. Romans and Greeks had been getting along great. It was 2024, 10 years since the war took place. Why didn't this girl, who seemed so young, know about it?

"What year are you from?" I asked warily.

"2005."

"2005?! It's been 19 years!" I freaked. "It's impossible for you to even be alive that long!"

"It is if you made a mistake and became a partial immortal to live in Tartarus forever," she said dryly. That caught me off guard. I didn't want to pry, because clearly this demigod had an attitude. I was a Roman praetor. I'd find a way to get answers soon enough. 

I explained to her how Romans and Greeks were allies now, and she nodded her head in thought before extending her hand. "Well, in that case, hi. I'm Brooklyn. Daughter of Hecate, capable of extreme magical feats, including saving your life. I am forever not in your service or whatever they say in movies. "

I shook it. "Reyna, daughter of Bellona, cast into Tartarus by a traitor to our kind."

She snorted. "You make it sounds like demigods are a whole other race by themselves." 

"We are."

"Whatever floats your boat!"

A roar sounded in the distance, and I heard the faint flap of bat wings overhead. Brooklyn's blue eyes widened and she grabbed my hand, pulling me towards what I could make out as a cave nestled in the red and black hills. 

"If we're going to help each other get out of this wretched place, we need to talk."

I promise I promise I promise I will update within the next three days. If I don't, spam the comments like crazy. I get notifications on my phone for every comment and vote I get, so I'll definitely see it. Until next time!
                                         -Ahey