Percy

"Stop!"

Luke's voice rang out around the cave, pausing everyone's activities. It was a good thing in some ways, seeing as though if his demigods had continued fighting, Piper and Hazel would have been pushed off into the ocean; Frank was already a crumpled heap by the wall; Leo was restrained, trying desperately to get loose to no avail; Jason—he was lying on the floor, silent except for ragged breaths escaping his pale lips. He didn't look too good, and the bandage I think Annabeth had managed to put on him wasn't doing much for the blood. And speaking of Annabeth, she was being held by one of Luke's men, a dagger placed menacingly against her neck... so, yeah. Maybe we weren't in the best of shape right now.

But I still wanted to continue my duel, so I could bash Luke upside the head. However, there was no way in Hades I would do that if it meant risking Annabeth's life. We all stood frozen, and the demigod holding Annabeth said something quietly to her. She scowled, not doing anything. Then the dagger at her throat pressed closer, and she grimaced, dropping her blade to the floor. It wouldn't have been very helpful, anyway. More of Luke's men were surrounding her, plus some dracanae and laistrygonians.

"Percy," Luke said calmly, smirking at me. I hated that smirk. "Put down Riptide." I glared at him, but he sent a glance towards Annabeth's direction and I picked up on the subtle threat he was issuing. I grit my teeth, following Annabeth's actions. The clang as Riptide struck the ground echoed across the walls.

"Thank you," Luke said.

I glowered at him in reply.

"So, since someone—" Luke put an emphasis on someone and narrowed his eyes at Hazel, who stood defiant under his gaze, "—decided to throw the entrails into the sea, I need you to get them for me." I knew his next words before he voiced them. "Or she dies." He gestured with his sword towards Annabeth, who was watching quietly. I swallowed, rage and helplessness coursing through me, and I almost wanted to just give up and drown (well, I can't drown. So maybe lie down in defeat?). I couldn't make this decision, and I didn't want to. Annabeth or Greece?

I met Annabeth's steely grey eyes, and she looked determined. Her stormy orbs told me to do what was right: save Greece, let her go. Do the right thing.

My mind flashed back to years before. Calista had the same expression on her face before I lost her. My sister's death almost tore me in two. I wanted to die along with her. But somehow I managed to move along until I met Annabeth, who patched me up and filled the emptiness with such a rich and warm and breathtaking love. If Annabeth died... no. I would never get over it, especially since I would be the one responsible for it. I'd never forgive myself.

I looked back at Luke, who was sneering, knowing how much anguish he was putting on me. "Better choose quickly, Percy. I'm not that patient."

Jason was still down, along with Frank. Hazel and Piper looked like they both wanted to rush to the two boys, but they couldn't move without the demigods attacking. Annabeth just kept staring at me, her eyes telling me to let go and do the right thing.

I squeeze my own eyes shut, running my fingers through my hair. Why me? Why do I have to make this choice? Why do I have this responsibility?

Just asking all the "whys" won't help, I told myself. I have to make this decision. The world was on my back, and the girl was in my heart. No, she was my heart. She wasn't just an inkling of it. She was everything to me, and I had to decide on her life right now.

I brought my gaze once more to Annabeth. Gods, she was so beautiful, and strong and amazing. And here Luke was, threatening to take her from me. Her grey eyes peered into mine, her body still as a rock except for the puffs of breath that made her chest rise.

Imagining a world without her brought a spike of pain so fierce into my body that I almost gasped. No Annabeth. You might as well throw me into Tartarus.

The demigod behind her tightened his hold on the dagger, and I saw a thin line of dark red liquid run down Annabeth's neck.

From that moment on, I'm honestly not quite sure what happened. All I know is that my hearing seemed to be enhanced, and I heard that one small gasp escape Annabeth's lips.

Then rage sprang up in me at the sight of Annabeth—my proud, determined Annabeth—being held so low by such a coward with a blade. Before I knew what was happening, I thrust my hands out, and yelled in outrage.

Everything that was happening, all the pressure, stress, anger, and downright fury at Annabeth's life being threatened- that all poured into me, unlocking a feral beast that I didn't know if I could control. It rushed out, and ran through my hands, my gut tugging so hard it was painful.

The earth responded less than a second later. In the beginning, it was just small rumbling, dust coming loose from corners. But it got stronger. A lot stronger.

Everybody was looking fearfully at me, and some started shouting. Luke stepped back in astonishment, his gaze going to the moving ground under his feet. I stood there, not really in control of my actions, but I didn't care. I just wanted to hurt Luke and his men.

The demigods around Piper and Hazel all started running for the cave, probably hoping to get out before the thing collapsed. The two girls rushed over, and they freed Leo and then grabbed Jason and brought them all over to Frank. Annabeth had gotten loose as well, flipping a shocked and unprepared man over her shoulder. I noticed a limp in her step as she jogged to stand with the others.

Luke started scrambling back, trying to follow his men, but the earthquake kept getting stronger. A big boulder shook loose and fell to the floor, ten feet from my friends.

Okay, I tried to tell myself. We're safe.

But I couldn't calm the earthquake. My mind flashed back to Athens, how I couldn't stop because I felt that rush of power. I felt it now, but that wasn't what was making me unable to stop. Right now, it was like I had finally unleashed all the rage and emotion, all of it, towards Luke. I wanted him to feel what I felt when he killed my little sister before my eyes. He won't ever be able to feel the mental pain, the guilt, the absolute sorrow. But I hoped to make up for it by physical pain.

Somewhere inside me I knew this wasn't the right thing to do. I shouldn't be acting like this. But I couldn't stop, and my anger overruled it. So I pressed on.

The waters were acting up now, waves as big as the roof of the cave crashing onto the shore, spraying water everywhere. Most of the demigods had made it into the tunnels, but it didn't do them much good, for the tunnel ceilings started to collapse. Monster dust kept appearing as chunks of rock fell on them. I could see my friends cowering in the corner, and I realized I could easily hurt them. The boulders were falling at random, and I didn't have control over them. Even as I watched, a part of the cave we were in cracked, and the top came down, filling it with dirt. Nothing touched me, of course. Luke was standing near me. He tried to get away but every time he stepped, a rock fell a foot in front of him, telling him he better not move. It was like the earthquake knew I didn't want Luke to escape. I advanced slowly toward him, wanting to give him what he deserved, what he gave my sister. The earthquake didn't touch him, he was mine.

Pieces of land kept raining down around us, and I spared a glance over to my friends. I saw Hazel standing up, her hands outstretched. No piece of dirt touched them as she controlled the rocks away from them. Jason still didn't look too good, but Frank was sitting up, looking worriedly at his girlfriend.

I needed to end this. I picked up Riptide, trudging to Luke slowly. He glared at me, but I saw a flicker of fear in his blue eyes. He was on the ground, one of his legs injured by a stray rock that got through. His sword had been torn from his hands, and he sat defenseless and breathless before me, waiting.

I heard someone shout to me, but I didn't turn. There was nobody but Luke, my friends, and me in the room. I raised Riptide over Luke, replaying everything he has ever done to me in my head, building up the fury that would strengthen this one blow. This one blow, I kept telling myself, that Luke deserves.

The uproar around us kept going- boulders falling, Hazel protecting our friends that I was putting in danger, but I couldn't get the monster in me to stop it. I was completely and utterly helpless, my mind just focused on one thing: Killing Luke. I thought I heard Leo yell at me, telling me to stop. That killing Luke wasn't the right thing.

I almost scoffed. Why don't we let Leo watch his sister get slaughtered before his eyes, and see if he doesn't want revenge on her killer. I had to do this.

But something caught my eyes. A figure had broken away from the, and she started trekking to me. Annabeth didn't look too good, her leg wrapped up in bloody bandages making her limp and her hair and face sweaty and plastered with dirt and dust from the ongoing earthquake. But she still mangaged to make my heart skip a beat as her eyes met mine. But it was brief, for mine tore away to stare back at Luke, who was now cowering, holding his leg. Riptide was risen above me, but I didn't let it fall. Something didn't feel good in this, and that stayed my hand for a moment longer.

I glanced back, and saw Annabeth dogdge a rock that would've smashed her, her lips tightening as she landed on her injured thigh.

"No," I tried to say, but the words wouldn't form in my mouth. My attention on Luke was diverted for a second as I tried to make the earthquake stop so Annabeth would be safe. What was she doing? She could be smashed any second!

Too late I turned back to Luke, only to see him lunging at me with a big rock in his hand. I barely managed to step to the side, avoiding Luke and sending him stumbling as he tried to regain his stance. While he was off balance, I swung the flat side of Riptide out and it slammed into the back of Luke's knees. He let out a cry and fell again. Riptide flew back up, and I brought it down smoothly and swiftly, straight for the back of Luke, right where I knew the heart would be. Anger was pouring through me and out onto the sword as it whistled down towards Luke.

"Stop!" I heard a familiar cry. A blade appeared in the path my sword was taking, pausing its downstroke. Annabeth stood next to us, holding determinedly onto her knife. She was breathing hard as she stared at me.

"Percy, stop," she repeated.

"Get out of my way, Annabeth," I said harshly. I didn't mean it to sound so snappish, but I needed to do this. I attempted to yank my blade back and swing it down, but it was again blocked by Annabeth. She proceeded to do a complicated series of attacks that I couldn't follow. My muscles and bones felt tired, but my mind was coursing with rage and power. Still, in a physical fight, your muscles tend to be the determining factor. So Annabeth was able to knock Riptide out of my hand, and I watched as it slid across on the ground.

I glared angrily back at her. "Why are you stopping me?" I needed to yell to be heard over the din, and I realized that more of the cave was collapsing. If it didn't stop soon, the ceiling might fall on us. "I need to do this!"

"No," she said, standing between me and my prey, who was still on the ground groaning, unable to get up. "Percy, you don't need to do this. You don't."

"Yes, I do!" I protested. "He—he killed my sister, he deserves this!"

"Maybe he does deserve this," Annabeth replied her voice growing softer. "But you don't have to deliver the punishment. I know you want revenge, but this isn't the way to get it. You're only going to make things worse for yourself if you carry on with what you were about to do."

"No," I said again, defending myself once more. "This is what I need to do!"

"This won't make you feel better, Percy," she said, her blade lowering. She was still favoring her leg, and as she walked closer to me, there was a hitch in her gait. "Don't do this."

"I—," my voice broke, and I suddenly felt weak. This earthquake was quickly draining my energy. I needed to make it stop. "I—I can't. I have to. I can't even stop the earthquake. I can't, I just—Annabeth, I have to do this." I was tired. I could barely stay upright.

"You don't have to," she said, reaching out a hand to place it on my shoulder. Where she touched me, I felt a burst of strength. "You can fight this, and I'll help. Just don't kill Luke. It's the wrong thing to do." Maybe it was the concern in her gaze. Maybe it was because I loved this girl more than anything in the world. Maybe it was the fact that this girl was my world. But she was able to make the beast inside me pay attention, and slowly, everything started to come back into focus.

I breathed heavily, watching her concerned eyes as she traced my face with her gaze. She believed in me. I could do this. I could fight this monster inside of me, not curl up into a corner and watch it wreak havoc. But I was growing weaker still. Incredibly so.

My knees gave out, and Annabeth caught me as I fell forward. I buried my head in her shoulder as she wrapped her arms around me, holding me tight with comforting hands.

Make it stop, I thought, trying to put all my power into those three words. There was a final tug in my gut, then a flashing pain as the rest of my remaining energy vanished. The last thing I remembered was Annabeth's strong embrace, and her soft curls under my hands. Then the world vanished, and everything went black.

———

A/N: Hey guys! I know I've had, like, no authors notes until now. Sorry. But just wanted to tell you that this story has about three or four more chapters left. Thanks for the support on the story so far! :)