sky blue ● jason grace

fall

 Hazel was still in shock.

Everything had happened so quickly, everything had been going so well. The seven demigods gathered on deck after various methods of searching, like Daria and Jason were hiding beneath the rubble. The despair on board was palpable, and they had all ended up slumped on the deck, grieving.

Hazel had silently offered to help with Annabeth's ankle, for lack of better thing to do. The blonde had tears pricking at her eyes, frustrated glances thrown at everyone on board, though Hazel could find no one to blame.

Percy hadn't stopped pacing since they'd confirmed that they were nowhere to be found. She supposed this was his own form of sadness, a quiet, miserable torrent. Leo was more vocal, aimlessly chattering to himself, full of accusations and disbelief. Nico had simply been reduced to staring, Hazel felt a hard pang of sympathy, he was the only one who knew what it was like; he wouldn't wish it on anyone else. Even Coach was moaning.

Frank spoke up first. "I wish I'd," he sniffled. "I wish I had apologized to her before this happened."

Percy wheeled on him, glaring. "Yeah, that's real helpful. We're all grieving Frank, not everything's about you."

Leo rolled his eyes bitterly. "Jason's down there too. And don't pretend that you two miss her. Not when you treated her like-"

Piper had remained surprisingly small for the duration of their silence, but now she interfered. "Guys!" They grew quiet. "Look, Daria and Jason are strong. She asked me to meet them on the other side, and we fucking will, okay? So quit arguing like children while they do their best to survive."

The ship grew quiet again.

"For what it's worth," Nico said softly. "They're still alive."

"How can you be sure?" Leo asked, eyes wide. "If that pit really led to...you know...how could you sense him so far away?"

Hazel and Nico shared a look. "We can't be 100 percent sure," she admitted. "But I think Nico's right. Jason and Daria are alive." They all heard the unspoken: so far.

Hazel wanted to sob, just as she was becoming close with Jason again, Gaea had gone and ripped two of her closest friends out from under her. Like so many other things. She hated the goddess, and Piper was right. There was no way she was going to win.

Percy slammed his fist against the rail. His eyes were stained a vicious red and when Annabeth tried to reach out to him, he shook her off. "I should've been paying more attention," he groaned. "I could've saved them."

"You couldn't have," Annabeth reminded him gently. "You wouldn't have stood a chance against the forces of Gaea and Tarturus."

"But Dar-"

"Daria would've never left Jason's side," Hazel said. "Percy, I've known them longer than anyone else on this ship, and I'm telling you, there was nothing you could've done to get Daria to leave him."

"And besides," Nico said. "This gives them a much better chance. If I had someone else with me..." His face was wistful for a moment before he resigned. "Well things would have been much easier."

"Be honest, Nico," Annabeth said with a tone that could only come from knowing someone for a long time. Most likely, Annabeth was the only one brave enough to ask the question, "What are their chances?"

Nico hesitated, and Frank took the opportunity to interrupt. "They're some of the most powerful demigods I know. Maybe they don't have crazy powers like Percy or Nico, but they've been training since they were five." Frank shuddered. "They have to be okay."

"I've seen them fight, Annabeth," Nico agreed. "What Frank didn't say is that Daria is the most powerful demigod I know. They're going to make it through Tartarus."

Percy turned. "To the Doors of Death, you mean. But you told us it's guarded by Gaea's most powerful forces. How could two demigods possibly—?"

"I don't know," Nico admitted. "But Daria told Piper to meet them in Epirus, to the mortal side of the doorway. She's planning on meeting us there. If we can survive the House of Hades, fight our way through Gaea's forces, then maybe we can work together with Percy and Annabeth and seal the Doors of Death from both sides. I can take you there."

"And get Jason and Daria back safely?" Leo asked.

"Probably.."

Hazel didn't like the way her brother said that, like he lacked hope. Hazel didn't know what he had gone through, but she was determined. A year was enough time for her to have seen the way Daria and Jason worked: a flawless team. If anyone could make it out the other side, she had to believe it was them.

Piper nodded firmly. "We've got no choice. We have to seal the Doors of Death before we can stop the giants from raising Gaea. Otherwise her armies will never die. And we've got to hurry. The Romans are in New York. Soon, they'll be marching on Camp Half-Blood." She sighed, "look I'll get in touch with Reyna like Daria asked me to, maybe she can help stop a war, but the rest is up to us."

We've got one month at best," Percy added. "Ephialtes said Gaea would awaken in exactly one month."

Leo straightened. "We can do it." Everyone stared at him.

"The Archimedes sphere can upgrade the ship," he said, Hazel hoped he was right. "I'm going to study those ancient scrolls we got. There's got to be all kinds of new weapons I can make. We're going to hit Gaea's armies with a whole new arsenal of hurt." At the prow of the ship, Festus creaked his jaw and blew fire defiantly.

Annabeth managed a smile. She clapped Leo on the shoulder. "Sounds like a plan, Captain. You want to set the course?"

"Wait," Hazel said. "Before we leave, there's something..." Something had been bugging her for the last few minutes. As everyone looked at her, she concentrated. There was metal beneath them, hidden in the rubble.

With one final tug, something came flying at them. A ring to be more specific. Hazel's heart sank as she recognized it.

"Daria's," Piper said. The mood grew several shades darker at that.

"Still think the swordsmen stand a chance when one of them doesn't have their weapon?" Percy muttered darkly. Hazel could only assume his pessimistic mood was how he was covering up his sadness, they all knew how dearly he used to love his cousin, how similar they were, how much he relied on her even.

But Annabeth was having none of it. She glared lightly at him, admonishing his childish behavior. "You keep it, Hazel. She would want you to have it."

Hazel wished she sounded less like Daria was dead. Piper had a sour look on her face, like she was thinking the same. Irritably, she could feel Frank's tense atmosphere beside her. She didn't know what overcame her, but the next words spilled out of their own accord. "I need to talk to you," Hazel muttered. The ring didn't fit on her finger, she would have to leave it alone on her dresser.

Frank looked panicked, "uh, okay."

She gazed around at everyone, seemingly lost in their own thoughts. Leo made eye contact with her and gave her a small but unwavering smile. "Festus," he announced. "Raise the sails. We've got some friends to save."

The next book will be up on Tuesday. DW I haven't forgotten about some questions that still need answering but I didn't think now would be the best time to answer them. 

Let me know what you think! See you Tuesday.

-M