For My Love (Percy Jackson/Avengers Crossover)

CHAPTER 7: PERCY

Another battle. Another war to win. That we had to be on the front-line for. Would we ever be allowed a break? Some semblance of a normal life? Since we defeated Gaea, communications with the other side of my life had been eerily silent. Really, Annabeth, Nico, Will and Jason were the only ones I'd heard from or seen in months. No one else had bothered to check in, even after Mom and Paul were killed. Sure, it had seemed surprising. But I had given it no thought, happy to just live a semblance of a normal life. The gods had never been good at giving us space and respecting our boundaries. But given everything I had done for them; I had thought that maybe they would have helped me when I needed them for once.

Or perhaps that was the unsurprising thing.

I was only useful for their games and battles, using me as a pawn for their own gains, however the gods swiftly discarded us demigods once they were out of trouble. Wiping my memory and pulling me away from my family and friends with no warning or reassurance to those who cared for me was not something they felt was wrong and there still had been no reimbursement for the time I lost.

It's not even like they were any good at their promises either. As immortals they felt nothing could stop them because they had us demigods to save their lazy asses. Which was clearly why they were calling us back now.

It was disgusting behaviour. How many of their kids had died for them, some without even knowing their parentage? All due to stupid laws of how they "couldn't meddle in earthly matters". They seemed to have no problems with breaking their other oaths; because Styx couldn't make them face the repercussions. Perks of being immortal. I wanted to yell or scream at them, to express my frustration at how useless they were. It's not like it would've changed a thing, though.

I curled my fingers into a fist, jaw clenched as I dissolved into mist. I used my frustration to will myself to Camp-Half Blood. Even though I didn't want to yet again be a pawn for the gods. I still had to protect Annabeth and my friends. That left me with little choice other than attempting to help.

I sighed as I took in the familiar greenery. I hadn't expected to return so soon, nor under these circumstances. Catching a glimpse of curly blonde hair up at the Big House, I took off in its direction.

"What's happening?"

"Morning, Percy," Will nodded at me wearily, and Piper raised a hand in greeting. I felt an arm wrap around my waist and leant into it. Annabeth smiled at me, although the smile didn't quite reach her eyes. I noticed the dark circles and how all the counsellors were barely keeping their eyes open as they discussed formation plans.

"You took your sweet time, seaweed brain," Thalia grinned, a slight tinge of relief to her voice. "We've got an army marching towards camp. And we're not sure if the barriers will hold. Jason's calling Reyna by Iris Message as we speak, but reinforcements won't arrive for at least a day. We need to hold them until then."

"Who's leading them?"

"We don't know." Pollux jumped in, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Something or someone very powerful though."

"And what are our odds?"

Annabeth slipped back into strategist mode almost instantly; I could almost see the cogs in her head whirring as she calculated off the top of her head. "Roughly 400 campers, minus the younger ones of course, versus an army of about a thousand monsters. There's the Minotaur and a couple of larger looking brutes, but the scouts couldn't get close enough to see what they were. Percy, we're worried we have a mole."

I groaned. "Again? Do we know who?"

Annabeth sighed and looked down, remembering Selina. "Not sure, could be someone who lost someone due to the high numbers of casualties in the last war. Someone who snapped and wanted see the gods suffer."

"Well, that could be anyone." My tone was dry as I tried to keep my temper back.

Travis snorted.

Sure, sometimes I too wanted to beat some sense into the idiots up on Mount Olympus but the way about it was never helping monsters attack your friends and family. That made you no better than the gods themselves.

Something changed in the air, a flash of movement coming over the hill perhaps and I was alert. My eyes scanned the hilltop as all of my muscles froze, waiting for something to come over. For me to spot something.

"Percy, what is it?" Annabeth placed her hand gently on my shoulder and I grabbed onto it tightly.

Before I had a chance to answer, the conch horn rang across the valley, answering her question. A heavy weight sunk to the bottom of my stomach.

"They're here."

As we lined the hills, a mass of snorting, pawing, and angry-looking monsters surrounded the base. They stretched as far as the eye could see, weapons raised. They were prepped and ready for a fight. We were... ready as we'd ever be.

"Charge!" I yelled, a triumphant roar following my command as the campers met the monsters head on. Golden dust and harsh clashes of metal filled the air, the battle had begun. The air rang with the sounds of battle and I tried not to flinch at the screams of anguish.

"Medic! Get him up to the tent now!" I could hear Will defending those who were injured as their friends took them to get patched up.

I swallowed, eyes narrowing as my sword clashed up against metal, my path arduously slow. Every move I made seemed to be blocked from another angle. Beside me, Annabeth was faring no better. Stabbing and rolling and dodging and slicing, we cut down every monster who stood in our way. Every monster that yet again threatened those we loved and had fought to hard to protect. My blood boiled. What had we done to deserve another war so soon after the last?

Campers filed out around us, each embroiled in a deadly dance. Groups rushed to each other's aid; one buried her sword hilt-deep between the shoulder blades of a Cyclops, grimacing as the dust settled on her clothes. Annabeth and I had no time to watch the others, minds focused on our one goal as we sliced through mindless monsters. Destroy their leader.

But that only lead to the question at the forefront of my mind. Who was commanding them?

On our left, Jason and Piper whirled, perfectly in sync as they fought. They drew equal with us, headed in the same direction as we were. The icy winds Jason manipulated left trails of frost on the beaten-down and bloody grass. Piper's lips moved as though reciting a curse, charmspeak spilling out as kept the hordes at bay. Katoptris flashed in the light as she and Jason dispatched those who managed to shake off her words and advanced towards them.

I nodded as they neared, gulping as I spotted an entire phalanx of dracaena marching towards us with murderous looks. Or that may have been their usual expressions. "Duck!" Annabeth dropped to the ground as I leapt over her. Using the advantage of surprise, I systematically decapitated the unit, Riptide annihilating them. Funnily enough, it didn't even affect me anymore. The adrenaline had removed any trace of guilt or exhaustion. All I knew was that this was necessary. I snuck a look back at Annabeth, who was holding her own against a trio of empousai and I came to a simple conclusion. We needed to find out who the enemy was. We didn't have a fighting chance without the advantage of information.

I inhaled deeply, my lungs expanding as my chest pulled. The familiar tugging in my gut intensified as I searched for the nearest water source. Aha! An underground stream ran near, no, right under my feet! I grinned smugly, blasting myself far above the army in a spout of water. The clear view of my surroundings was wondrous, but I didn't have time to stop and admire. That wasn't what I was searching for. My eyes scanned the large cluster at the centre of the mass of heaving bodies, eyes narrowing as the minute figures rushed to and fro. Yet in that moment, the moment I saw him, all my confidence dissipated. The bottom of my stomach fell out and I tumbled from my vantage point in the sky. The dirt floor rushed towards me as my mind went numb, only regaining control a couple of feet from the ground. My cheeks paled as my legs trembled underneath me; all my bones had suddenly turned to mush. Riptide slipped in my grip; my hands clammy.

We didn't have a hope in... Tartarus to defeat him.

"Perce?" Annabeth was by my side in an instant, tipping nectar down my throat as I blinked.

"It's him." I croaked. "Tartarus has emerged from the Pit."