Eventide
part two: nautical

chapter fifteen: words that never come

"Well, hello," Annabeth said, almost dropping her lemonade when Seymour snapped his jaws an inch away from her face. "Nice to meet you, too." Those words were lies, of course, but no one needed to know that unless they wanted things to blow up in their faces. (And wouldn't that be great.)

Chiron gave her an embarrassed smile, and Percy chuckled. "Seymour," Chiron chided, raising a hand to gently smack Seymour's head. "Sorry about that. Mr. D has a rather peculiar taste in, ah, pets."

Percy raised an eyebrow as he perched on the arm of one of the sofas. "So chopped off heads of leopards? What else does this guy own, chopped liver?"

There was a yell from outside. "I heard that, Paciugo!"

"Isn't that an ice cream brand?" Percy asked, confused. Annabeth rolled her eyes as Chiron laughed good-naturedly.

"It's gelato, Se- stupid," she said, correcting both him and herself. Dang it, and she'd been doing so well. There was a glint in Percy's eyes that there hadn't been before, and Annabeth knew she'd lost.

"Close enough," he told her, and she was pretty sure he was talking about more than gelato and ice cream. Dang it; they'd made a bet earlier to see who'd mess up first.

Chiron smiled at the two of them before sipping his lemonade. His eyes crinkled at the corners. Annabeth pushed away the torrent of words that threatened to spill past her lips. All those years' worth of things left unsaid... things she'd never gotten to say.

Seymour growled suddenly; it was only centuries' worth of practice that she kept a calm face and the lemonade from spilling.

Percy turned and grinned, raising his lemonade glass. Haroi walked in, inclining his head in greeting, which was strange for him. Usually, he'd do the traditional Fellowship greeting, both to annoy Percy and to (not-so-secretly) please her. The two of them glanced at each other. Something was wrong.

"We've got a bit of a problem," Haroi said, scratching his head. He looked sheepish.

Chiron rose out of his wheelchair, human legs folding back as hooves and long white legs appeared. No one batted an eye. Annabeth tensed.

"Like, her kind of problem or my kind of problem?" Percy asked, raising an eyebrow and running a hand through his blue hair.

"You," the soldier said. Uh oh. If this was a Percy-level problem, well... this certainly couldn't be good.

"Well," Percy said, grinning. "That's too bad."

Annabeth sent him a withering glare. "That's too bad? It's as destructive as you on a bad day, and you think that it's too bad?" To his credit, Percy didn't even flinch. In fact, his grin widened. Annabeth rolled her eyes. He was an idiot and as reckless as they came, but at least he was her idiot.

"Come on, Lady Alithia," he said, extending a hand. She took it, smiling at the use of her title. "Let's have some fun, eh?"

"Fun," Haroi muttered, drawing his khopesh, a two-foot long sword curved like a sickle. Annabeth had always admired his weapon; the Egyptians were pretty dangerous coupled with their sharp minds. She drew her own dagger from the folds of her cloak, and Percy did the same, pulling out a sword. "Yeah, fighting is so much fun."

Annabeth had to hide her laugh as Percy led them to the door. When they stepped outside, Cor and Aravis materialized by their sides from the shadows. Aravis, her hair braided and her eyes gleaming, told them about the army currently marching towards Camp Half-Blood.

"That's it?" Percy asked, raising an eyebrow and letting go of her hand. Annabeth missed it immediately. "No battle strategies, no sneak attack, no ambushing? Just... marching towards us?"

Cor snorted. "That's what I thought!"

"Boys," Annabeth said, pinning them with a look. Aravis scoffed. "We're supposed to be dealing with the threat, not joking about it."

Properly abashed, Percy began sending his orders. He spoke into the watch on his hand. "Positions, everyone. We're on defense; hold Half-Blood Hill, and we'll be good. Archers in the front, fighters stationed with them."

Cor suddenly spoke up, his eyes far away. "We've got troops marching in from the other side; it's a surprise attack. They're trying to focus our attention in the front while they get in through the forest."

Annabeth let out a breath. "Fine," she said, lifting her watch to her mouth. "Archers stay on the hill. All fighters go to the north woods and split. There's a creek down the center; use that to keep the army separated and hold it."

Already, the camp was up and moving. Chiron, trusting the two of them, relayed orders to the campers. Weapons were drawn; armor was being strapped on. Annabeth was already half running to the hill; Percy would go the other way and use the water of both the creek and the ocean to his advantage.

"Wait," Percy cried suddenly. A warm hand closed around her wrist. She paused, turning to raise an eyebrow. "Don't I get a kiss for luck, Wise Girl?" He'd murmured it quietly so no one could hear; it wasn't like they'd bother, anyway. She rolled her eyes before standing on her tiptoes to kiss him. It was a second of brief comfort, of strength, before they parted.

Then Annabeth ran for the hill, heart pounding.

Half-Blood Hill was a beautiful, chaotic sight. Thalia's Pine stood alone, a giant tree stretching arm-like branches to the sky, to the god that had given it life. It cut angular shapes against the darkening sky. Then there was Peleus, just as large, curled around the pine protectively but raised up, the huge protector ready to fight.

Both her soldiers and some of the campers were preparing at the peak. Annabeth closed her eyes and paused in her stride, her senses alert. She only needed a few seconds, just a few...

Annabeth called up the deep well of power that resided in her. It pulsed in her core, eager to be released, and she grasped it tightly. Control. Restraint. It was those things that made magic dangerous, not the power itself. It spread through her body, an otherworldly warmth that consumed her veins. Then she opened her eyes again, the world shifting.

Magic heightened the senses for most users. Not the physical senses, no - instead it heightened the magical perception of the world. She could see the traces of magic throughout the camp: the glowing, bright magic of the Golden Fleece, remnants of spells and enchantments... everything.

Satisfied, Annabeth took a deep breath and truly concentrated. Time seemed to slow around her. She sank into another world and reached out with a hand, searching for something by feel alone. Smooth wood met her fingers in little time, and she grasped the weapon tightly. Then she let go of the magic that had held her there, and the world returned.

"Alithia, quickly!" Chiron cried from somewhere behind her, and she started. "Come." He galloped to a stop and held out a hand. Understanding immediately, she grabbed his hand and clambered onto his back, locking her legs.

The rest of Camp blurred as he galloped up the hill. She slid off when they got there and inclined her head in thanks, walking immediately over to her soldiers. They straightened when they saw her but did not do anything otherwise, continuing to strap on armor or take their positions.

"Today," she began in a quiet voice, knowing it would carry. Annabeth gestured toward the other campers. "You fight for them. You fight for Camp Half-Blood. They are your fellow warriors, your brothers and sisters in arms. Do to them as you would do to another in the Fellowship."

"Yes, Lady Alithia," they chorused, looking up from their actions. She met each pair of eyes equally, making sure they all understood, before giving a curt nod.

"Lady Alithia," Aravis said, appearing beside her. "They're in sight."

Annabeth took a deep breath, focusing on sight more than her other senses. The chatter died to a dull echo around her. Her sight sharpened, and Annabeth quickly found the small figures making their way towards them. Their leader appeared to be a god, or at least a demigod, likely blessed. In the ranks behind him marched row after row of monsters. She felt her body tense, ready to fight.

They were across the road, fifty feet away. She watched as the leader paused atop his horse, drawing a sword. In answer, she took her place next to Will Solace, notching her arrow and aiming at the leader.

There was a moment of silence as the campers waited. Not for Chiron's mark, who was standing with his own weapon on the other side of Will, but for hers. She breathed out. Quiet.

Then: "Fire," she said, the word rolled off her tongue, smooth and easy.

Death rained down on the enemies' side. Hundreds of arrows were shot with deadly accuracy, demigod-made and crafted to pierce with efficiency. Annabeth's arrow went true, but the leader sensed it at the last moment. It did hit him, right in the shoulder, but Annabeth knew that if she didn't catch him at the right moment, she'd miss again.

And she hated missing.

The battle was in their advantage. They were safe at the top of the hill, hidden by a magical barrier. The arrows kept their opponents from going up the hill, and their archers were nowhere to be seen, with the disadvantage of being placed shooting upwards, which was harder. They were likely hiding in the forest, climbing into trees with stealth and not being able to be found and taken down as easily.

The fifth wave of arrows cleared the first row of monsters. Annabeth aimed again, closing her left eye and letting her magic help enhance her sight. The leader was stronger than his army - more powerful. He stopped the arrows from hitting him, some sort of magic that seemed to envelop him.

Annabeth smiled. He was a challenge, hard to beat, harder to kill. He had magic, blessed by the gods on his side.

It was too bad, she thought, notching another arrow. He would've made a good ally if he'd been on their side. But he wasn't, and this in itself forced her hand. After all, she had magic, too.

The monsters started making leeway, going from fifty feet to forty to thirty. In a few moments, he would be too close to shoot. She had to time this perfectly.

"Fighters," she said, dispatching the soldiers on her side. They stood, five in total, gathering a few campers as well.

Aim. She took a deep breath, the world fading once again around her. She directed her magic into the arrow itself, surrounding it with a layer that would cut through and cancel out his own, leaving her projectile to bury itself in the most dangerous way.

"Shoot," she murmured to herself when he was centimeters away from where she was aiming.

He moved forward in the time that the arrow caught up to him, and the arrow flew true. It cut straight through his exposed throat, the shaft going in deep enough.

"Fighters, go," she yelled, taking advantage of the half-a-second of confusion and terror that overran the other army. The distraction of losing a leader was more than enough, and the fighters took this, cutting down every monster and person they passed.

She kept an eye on the leader, a sense of grim satisfaction washing over her as he clawed at his throat. He would die within seconds, his last moments as his brain began to shut down, desperate to survive but too wounded to go on.

He fell just as Annabeth stood, slinging her bow on her back and drawing the trusty dagger by her side. Drakon bone, once a gift given to her a long time ago. She rubbed her thumb over the hilt, feeling eyes watching her.

"Aravis," she ordered. "Go to Pelagios and tell him that we're about to win. Stay and help, but I expect a report on their side."

"Yes, Lady Alithia," Aravis said, taking off to the other side of Camp, her movements silent and her figure hidden by the shadows that clung to her.

"Weapons," she ordered, turning to the archers. Her soldiers understood immediately. While they were best at archery, all soldiers in the Fellowship were to train in every form of combat. She tapped the watch on her wrist, wanting the soldiers already fighting to hear her orders. She pressed her finger to it. ACCESS GRANTED. "Contact all soldiers under Alithia." PLEASE STATE YOUR MESSAGE.

"Form ranks and separate. I want you to attack in the middle, split the army in half."

Divide and conquer, one of the oldest tricks in the book. With no leader to keep them organized and give orders, the army was in quite literal chaos.

Some of the campers moved to follow her orders as well, but she raised her voice. "All Apollonians, go back to Camp and prepare for medical treatment. Others, you heard my orders. Attack."

A few of them hesitated when taking orders from a stranger, but they did as she said, splitting in two groups, one heading for the Big House in case there were any terrible injuries. Chiron trotted up to her, old eyes impressed.

"A wise and bold plan, Lady," he said, and she glowed from the praise, the joy of approval filling her. She just gave him a curt nod.

"Will you join them?" she asked, jerking her head at the fighting armies. Their side was doing well, pushing the monsters back and destroying the army. Chiron shook his head.

"I will join the healers," he said solemnly. She nodded, approving. He had always tried to avoid war and disliked death - not to mention he was a better healer than he was a fighter. He flew off, leaving her alone. The watch crackled.

"Lady Alithia, this is Aravis reporting."

"Status."

"Pelagios is doing well. There are more wounded, but they've managed to subdue the enemy. We're pushing them to retreat."

Feeling pleased, Annabeth replied. "Start getting any wounded to the Big House. There's healers waiting and ready. I'm about to call for retreat; the battle's over."

"Understood. Out."

Annabeth turned her attention to the battle, noticing a monster making its way towards her. A dracaena. She curled her lip in disgust, stepping past Camp boundaries to meet her opponent. The monster hissed. She was wearing armor, which made it hard.

"You will die," the dracaena hissed, jabbing forwards in a lightning fast move.

"Shit," Annabeth muttered, dodging to the left, and ducking under another blow. She'd underestimated her opponent. Her ADHD kicked in again, and Annabeth blocked the spear coming at her with a dagger.

She stayed on defense, eyes trained on the movement. Weak spots were easier to pick up if she was in defense. Block. Parry. Block. And there, a weak spot. Annabeth darted under the dracaena's guard and thrust her dagger into the chink where her armor connected. There was a screech as the monster dissipated into dust, and Annabeth flicked her eyes up to look at the battle.

"Retreat!" she roared. Their forces were spreading too thin, and while the monsters were mostly defeated, they were still dangerous.

She could hear the order being passed, and pleased, Annabeth watched as they scrambled up the hill, easily taking care of any monsters brave enough to chase after. Peleus roared victory, slinking downhill to cover the campers as they retreated up.

"Get the wounded to the infirmary," she ordered to the people carrying others. "There's healers waiting."

Her soldiers saluted and began the trek. Annabeth lifted the watch to her mouth, scanning through. "Message Pelagios' side," she murmured. PLEASE STATE YOUR MESSAGE. "Alithia has retreated. I repeat, Alithia has retreated."

"Roger that," one of the soldiers said, but overall, the others were quiet. Too quiet.

"A- Alithia!" someone yelled, and Annabeth turned to see Beckendorf running towards her, a sheen of sweat gleaming on his brow. Something was wrong - and Annabeth, with a rising feeling of dread, had a feeling she knew what.

He reached her, pausing to take a breath.

"What is it, Beck?" she asked under her breath. He winced.

"You're not gonna like this, Annabeth," he told her. "Percy got himself stabbed. It seemed pretty bad. They're treating him on the field right now, a couple hundred feet away from the lake."

"Clean up, go protocol. Take my place," she told him. Then Annabeth swore and immediately began running, her heart pounding so hard she thought it would burst. She left the others behind, streaking past war-worn campers and soldiers, eyes on the forest.

A couple hundred feet away from the lake. She jogged in the direction he was supposed to be, according to their plan. Up ahead, she could hear hushed talking, murmurings of healers as they treated their patient.

"You idiot," she growled to herself. "You noble, stupid idiot. If you're as bad as I think you are, I'll make sure you get better just so I could pummel you."

Annabeth pushed her way through the foliage and froze.

Oops. Sorry, Percy. So some intense-ish battle scenes, fighting, and the end of the chapter with Percy being stabbed? Uh oh.

Please tell me what you think. What's next? Why did Annabeth freeze? What's up with that leader dude?

achieving elysium