The Unknown Destiny

| Chapter 12 || Division in Allies |

Chapter Twelve

Division in Allies

*Third Person Point of View*

Annabeth stormed back into camp with one goal in mind - to confront the gods. It was their fault that her friends and family were dying. They brought the so-called "guardians" to Earth in the first place!

"Mother!" she shouted, not even disguising the rage in her voice, even for her own mother.

Many campers - at least the ones left standing after the decimation that obviously took place when Kallius had led her away - turned to her in complete and utter shock. She'd never taken that tone with any of the gods before, especially Athena. What they knew was that she was angry, but the anger Annabeth harboured was equally for the gods as it was for herself. She'd allowed herself to be led away from the camp she was sworn to protect, and because of that, many of her students and friends were severely injured or dead. However... if the gods hadn't summoned the guardians here in the first place... if they hadn't opened the gate for the evil to seep through... none of this would have happened.

"What is it, daughter?" Athena turned toward her, confusion knitting her brows together.

"You've been lying to us this whole time! Your guardians do not truly serve you, but their mysterious master who strives to dominate our world! It's your fault that our campers are dying! Yours!" she accused.

"Annabeth-!"

"No! Stop talking! Your blind trust in these guardians was misplaced. You didn't even know their true purpose, nor where they come from! And beyond that, you kept us in the dark about the whole situation. How can we follow you if you withhold pertinent information from us? How can we trust you to keep us safe?"

"Please, daughter. We were mistaken, we know, but we're still figuring it out ourselves," Athena protested. "The guardians-!"

"Mother, don't call them guardians! They are not guardians! They are anything but that! They've chosen their path, and you were fooled! You, goddess of wisdom, were a blind fool!" Annabeth's face was a deep shade of red from the strain of her frustration, and her chest heaved. At her sides, her hands were clenched, knuckles white.

Other demigods, after hearing the exchange, moved from their parents' sides to stand by Annabeth. Her son, Anthony, ran to her and grasped one of her arms, trying to calm her. Chris stood by her other side, a comforting arm around her waist to show his support for her as he, too, glared up at his mother-in-law.

(Annabeth didn't know, but during the battle, Anthony had almost died in his efforts to help, so Chris' own pent-up rage was just barely being held back from breaking the surface.)

Nico sent his father a look of disgust - Hades had the humility to look away, ashamed - before throwing down his Stygian iron sword and assisting an injured, limping Will over to stand at Annabeth's side as well. Many more followed his example until only a few demigods still stood with the gods.

"Take a look," Annabeth jeered. "Take a long, hard look. These are your expendable soldiers. The next time you think of sacrificing one of them for your own personal gain: don't. You let your children die because the enemy has been manipulating you and you didn't even realize it."

Then she, along with all of the other campers, left the gods standing by the wall, shame adorning their faces like delicate trinkets, ready to break into shattered tears with the force of the soft breeze.

***

"Annabeth was right," Hephaestus said with a heavy sigh. "Those children's deaths were our fault entirely. There is no way for us to deny it."