Some Other World

So There's This Problem

"The more we open portals, the easier it gets." Thalia shook her head.

I frowned. "Let me guess... that's going to start causing problems."

She nodded, crossing her arms. "Every time Jordan opens a portal she says it feels like the lining between these realities is shifting, becoming thinner. If we keep doing it, the lining will rip apart completely, and both worlds will collide..."

"What happens then?"

Annabeth got up from the seat she was sitting in, behind Thalia. She made an exploding motion with her hands.

I nodded, running a hand through my hair. "That's what I thought. So... what do we do?"

"We either risk the destruction of two whole civilizations or we stop and leave you where you are," Thalia said. "I don't particularly like either option."

"I don't either." I grunted, beginning to pace. "I would talk to Nasuada about what she thinks, but she's been taken."

"Ten minutes." The spellcaster behind me called out. I nodded to let him know I'd heard.

"Okay... Thalia, Annabeth, I want you to do what I say, alright?"

"I don't like the sound of that, Seaweed Brain." Annabeth frowned.

"This might be the only way to work this out so just listen-" I waved my hands in front of the portal. "I want you to stop opening the portals."

"Are you nuts, Jackson?!" Thalia demanded, tossing aside the shirt she was holding. "Why the Hades would we stop opening the portals?"

"Look, we're not getting any farther with these right now," I exclaimed. "If every portal is damaging the integrity of the barrier between worlds, we should try to limit it to the least amount possible."

"So we just leave you there?" Annabeth glared at me. I could see tears in her eyes. "Percy I am not going to give up on you that quickly!"

I shook my head. "No, you don't understand. The army will be reaching the capital city in the next two days. When we get there, it's all out war against the King's army. So either we win... or we die."

"Percy you don't owe these people anything!" Annabeth threw her hands in the air. "Just come home!"

"This king sounds like the worst of the worst, and these people have protected me here. I'm hardwired to fight these battles, Wise Girl, and I've got the firepower they need."

"Mr. Jackson is a one man army in another army." 

I turned around, surprised. "Roran. I thought you were talking to the troops."

"I was." He stopped, nodding to my cousin and my fiancee.

"Who are you?" Thalia asked, eyeing him. Annabeth tipped her chin up defiantly as Roran made eye contact with her.

"This is Roran, he's the man who saved me." I intervened before it got aggressive. 'Friendly' was not in Thalia's vocabulary with men other than me and Jason. "Roran, this is my cousin Thalia, and my fiancee Annabeth."

Roran bowed a little stiffly, favoring his side. He'd gotten hit pretty badly in a recent skirmish.

"Roran, have you ever been in love with someone?" Annabeth asked immediately. I huffed and turned away to hide an irritated roll of my eyes. This was going exactly where I thought, and now we were all along for the ride.

"I married her not long ago." He crossed his arms. "We're expecting our first."

Annabeth paused. "Congratulations... if your lover wanted to do something ridiculous and stupid, would you let her?"

"I'd say I'm usually the one making the stupid decisions, but Katrina never loves it." Roran glanced at me. "What's going on?"

I sighed and glanced at the spellcasters for a time frame. Five minutes was the answer.

"I'm trying to convince them to trust me."

"Percy I am not going to lose you again!" Annabeth threw her hands in the air. "Why can't you just come back now, the portal is big enough and you opened it!"

"I can't leave the others. Maggie, Natasa, Anareem."

"Anareem?" Annabeth frowned.

"My dragon."

She huffed. "A pet is more important than this?"

"She's not a pet Annabeth!" I crossed my arms. "She's a companion, she's- she's a part of me! Dragons and Riders share a unique bond, if I walked through that portal right now it would probably kill both of us."

Roran cleared his throat. "If I may, Miss Annabeth, your fiance has been incredibly helpful to our cause and if you allow him to follow his plan, we will keep him safe at whatever the cost."

"A month, Wise Girl, that's all I'm asking for."

She frowned at me and I explained quickly. "A week for you is a day for us, more or less. If we fail, if I die, you'll know in a month. Give me a month, and if I don't come back, I'm sorry and I love you more than anything in life."

Annabeth's eyes widened as I began to step away. "Perseus Jackson don't you dare-"

"Don't open portals, I'll see you in a month." I turned to the spellcasters. "Close it."

"PERCY!"