Let Me Go

Annabeth turned around, back facing her friends. She gazed out into the distance, where the edge of the plateau met the sky, the setting sun slowly slipping, casting amber beams. "You don't know the full story," she said. "Gaea will continue to awaken even without me; the process will just be slower. But what no one knows is that if I willingly sacrifice myself, it will pull Gaea back into slumber and save the world."

Understanding and horror dawned upon Percy's face as the meaning of her words sunk in. "No!" he yelled, desperation pulsing in his eyes.

A/N: This came to me as I read the Son of Neptune where Mars tells Frank Percy's fatal flaw. It's kind of depressing though… I've tried to make the characters as in character as possible and the fight scene realistic although it is quite short.

Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or Heroes of Olympus.

"Child of Athena…" a voice hissed from deep within the folds of the mist. "Yesss… She is the one…" A sickening crunch of the broken marble statues being crushed into dust signalled the footsteps of whatever was out there.

A shadow loomed over the demigods, staggeringly tall and powerful looking. It resembled a giant lizard that had bred with a dinosaur. It had scaly skin, was about eleven feet tall, and had a long spiked tail and horrible breath. It advanced upon them, leering evilly showing its pointed teeth, yellow eyes gleaming, yellow-green scales dull and covered in dust. The seven backed up, away from the ancient ruins of Rome, closer and closer to the ledge of the plateau. Huge blocks of carved stone lay dejectedly on the ground – they probably used to be part of a building or a statue, thousands of years ago. Percy pulled out Riptide, ready to defend, but Annabeth held him back. The – thing – leered down at them. "Daughter of Athens. And your friends… Sons and Daughters of Athens and Rome. Together. This has never happened before."

Annabeth stepped forward, ignoring the protests of her friends. "I am the one you want. Let my friends go." She stated defiantly, eyes blazing.

"Annabeth, no."

"Percy, please."

"You can't. I won't let you." He grabbed onto her arm and pulled her close, breathing in her comforting, familiar scent.

Her eyes were no longer blazing in defiance and anger as she pulled back and looked at him – they were filled with an immense sadness. She caressed his face gently.

The creature hissed menacingly, its yellowish-green, forked tongue reminding Percy of a waterslide. A large, slimy, sickly waterslide. It flickered out, releasing a horrid scent of rotting and decaying flesh. He choked.

"Child of Athena. Come forward. One drop of your blood and Gaea will be set free and she will unleash all the horrors of the world. If you do not, you will give up your friends to an eternity of pain and torture." It cackled evilly. Percy tightened his grip around her waist.

"NOW!" yelled Jason, whipping his sword from his pocket, flipping it and lunging towards the left side of the monster. Leo shot a ribbon of fire from each of his fingers, curling tendrils forming to make one, large fireball and shot it at the monster's chest. It dodged it easily but was distracted. Using this distraction, Hazel and Annabeth slipped around and tackled it from behind. Percy rolled to the side, dodging its spiked tail whipping around. He closed his eyes and summoned the water, the water from inside of him. It wrapped around the creature's legs, binding it tight and immobilising its bottom half while Leo shot fire at its top half. He felt a sudden drain in energy but forced himself to go on and help his friends.

Frank could see Hazel climbing up the monster's back but she was too small and light that the monster couldn't feel her. Suddenly, she stabbed it in its neck between two green, once-iridescent scales and lithely hopped off to safety. The thing roared in pain and thrashed around. Well it tried to at least. It forgot that its legs were bound so it only succeeded in tripping over and hitting the ground in and earth-shaking boom. Frank saw his chance to act. He squeezed his eyes shut and concentrated. He could feel his muscles tensing then loosening then rolling and his body becoming more lithe and agile. He leapt at the monster and raked his claws on its chest, ripping off most of its scales causing it to howl in agony.

"Cool man, a tiger." Leo panted as he shot two fireballs – straight at its eyes. Piper threw her dagger, embedding it into the monster's heart.

"Noooo! Curse you demigods!" was the monster's last scream before it disintegrated into a greenish yellow smoke that smelt strongly of sulphur and public toilets.

Leo gagged and held his nose. "That smells worse than Festus when I first found him." He choked. Jason patted him on the back sympathetically.

Piper picked up her dagger and wiped it against a patch of moss, wrinkling her nose in disgust. Then, she looked up and seemed to remember something. "Annabeth, what did the monster mean?"

Annabeth stepped forward and took a deep breath. She turned around facing them. "It meant that if it took me and offered my blood to Gaea, it would be the final step to re-awakening her fully."

"Well, thank gods we defeated it then," breathed Hazel, grinning.

Annabeth turned around, back facing her friends. She gazed out into the distance, where the edge of the plateau met the sky, the setting sun slowly slipping, casting amber beams. Half above, half below. The sky was awash with gold and the air was tingling with a warm radiance. "You don't know the full story," she said. "Gaea will continue to awaken even without me; the process will just be slower. But what no one knows is that if I willingly sacrifice myself, it will pull Gaea back into slumber and save the world."

Understanding and horror dawned upon Percy's face as the meaning of her words sunk in. "No!" he yelled, desperation pulsing in his eyes.

The others shook their heads. "We won't let you," said Piper.

Annabeth blinked tears out of her eyes. "It's the only way," she said softly, "I can't live with it if I didn't do this and you guys died. "I have to do this."

Percy grabbed onto her. "You can't."

"Percy." Frank wheezed, putting a large hand on his shoulder. "Remember your fatal flaw."

"No." he choked. "There must be another way." Tears were falling thickly down his face now but he didn't even care.

"Percy, listen to me." She said, a glistening tear trailing down her face. "You have to let me go. Gaea will claim me but she will be paralysed, frozen in eternal sleep. That's what the prophecy declared. It's the only way." She pulled his head down and gazed into his eyes. "Listen, after I – I –"she stopped, unable to go on. "Afterwards, continue onto Greece and close the Doors of Death and rescue Nico, okay? See the Parthenon for me and pay my respects to my mother. Please."

"No. You can't. I'll do it. She can take me. I can't live without you." His eyes were a deep green in agony, but there was a fierce determination. She pulled away before she could get lost in those eyes and lose her will.

"Percy, you have to. Promise me." She took his face in her hands. "I'm sorry." And the she kissed him, softly, one last time and whispered, "Goodbye, Seaweed Brain, I love you." Then, she let go of his hand and his gaze, turned around, head held high defiantly, and walked proudly, elegantly and sadly to the edge. Alone.

Wisdoms daughter walks alone…

Never looking back. And then, she stepped off, raising her arms gracefully like a bird in flight. Percy screamed silently in horror and loss as she fell into the depths of swirling mists. A flash of grey appeared in the sky, sweeping across, expanding in all directions, before fading into nothingness.

The Mark of Athena burns through Rome.

Then she was gone.

Forever.

Jason put a hand on Percy's shoulder. "Hey, she'll reach Elysium. She will be happy."

His other friends came up and patted him on the shoulder, murmuring condolences and then left, knowing he needed privacy. Percy was glad for it. So many emotions were in turmoil inside of him he felt as if he were going to erupt.

And then he cursed the world. He cursed for Annabeth as he doubled over in pain and loss. He screamed at the world until his voice was hoarse and lost. From his pocket he pulled out a small, purple, velvet box. Opening it, he pulled out a silver ring with a delicate, blue-green gem. A tear dropped onto it, sparkling in the sun. Bringing it up to his lips, he kissed it softly and threw it out, far, far away. It glinted momentarily in the last rays of sunlight before falling into the bottomless abyss, following her.

"Annabeth," he whispered into the distance and walked away.

Letting her go.

A final goodbye.

Hope you enjoyed reading that. Constructive criticism is welcomed and appreciated.

Thanks,

Blue