Origin of a Hero - [A Percy Jackson Fanfic]

again

His throat hurt from screaming.

"I lost the one I loved again"

His eyes were red and irritated from crying. There were no more tears to shed.

¨ Will I have to live with this pain again? ¨

His heart ached. So much so that he put a hand to his chest, considering for a second whether to rip it out... Would the pain go away?

"Will I have to go through that hell again?"

His eyes, devoid of any emotion, stared straight ahead, not really taking in anything. He didn't dare to turn them towards Percy's inert body, being carried gently and respectfully by Chiron, the legendary centaur.

"Will I be able to bear it?"

The rain did not stop for a single minute. It was already dawn, but the sun could not be seen because of the clouds.

"I don't know anymore..."

"I don't know anything anymore..."

nothing

Luke was expecting a lot of things when Grover told him about the big camp. He imagined kids riding pegasi through the skies, a coliseum where campers fought each other like gladiators, huge palaces made of marble that reminded him of ancient Greece. He even imagined the campers wearing those clothes that the Greeks wore in the old days.

What he didn't expect was that Camp Half-Blood was just that... a camp. Old wooden cabins, a lake with a wooden dock, and canoes on the sand. There were many other things in the style of ancient Greece, like the sand arena, or the dining room with huge marble columns, but for him, everything seemed to pass in the background. Like an out-of-focus image in a photo. He only reacted when they placed an aluminum cup with amber liquid in it. He recognized it as nectar, the drink of the gods.

"Thank you," was all he said, without deigning to raise his gaze.

The girl who had brought him the drink just smiled at him a little sadly before going to give the others the drinks she had.

If it were any other time, he would have noticed how pretty the girl who had served him was or the fact that they were sitting around a ping-pong table with several campers wearing the same orange shirts, but none of that mattered to him right now.

He felt devastated by what had happened just a few hours ago.

Percy, his best friend, had sacrificed himself in the most heroic way he could imagine so that he, Thalia, Annabeth, Sammy, and Grover could get to the camp to ask for help.

No one said anything. Silence reigned in the air, along with a somber atmosphere that weighed on everyone present.

The sound of a door opening caught everyone's attention. They turned to see a young man with brown hair and brown eyes behind glasses emerge from what was the camp's infirmary. He removed his blood-stained examination gloves and sadly shook his head at Chiron.

"I'm sorry. There was nothing I could have done," he said, regret in his voice. "Her wounds were too fatal."

"I see…" Chiron's voice was deep, but there was a deep sadness in it. "It's a real shame."

He looked at the three demigods and the only mortal in the room. Each of them looked as if they carried the weight of heaven on their shoulders.

"I know you've been through something very hard," he said, his voice soft. "Losing a loved one is never easy. It's heartbreaking, and often you never get over the pain. But despite everything, we must not forget that...

"Old man... shut your mouth," Thalia snapped at him, scathingly, without looking up.

It surprised the campers present, but one of them did not take it very well, standing up abruptly.

" Hey! Who do you think you are...?!

"It's okay, John," Chiron stopped him. "It's understandable, considering everything they've been through."

John bit his lower lip, but didn't say anything. He sat back down in his seat with a sullen expression.

Chiron felt a little relieved to see John calm down, even if just a little. As the son of Ares, he tended to be impulsive with all kinds of situations.

"What's the situation with the campers? "he asked, looking at the same boy who had left the infirmary.

Victor, a son of Apollo who was the camp's head doctor, along with the leader of cabin seven, crossed his arms with a grim expression on his face.

"Twelve campers were injured, three of them are in critical condition. They'll have to stay in bed for at least two weeks, but luckily no one has died..." he glanced at Thalia and the others". Or at least, no camper has.

Chiron nodded at that. Considering the force they were up against, it's almost a miracle that no campers died.

"But it's strange," said Mike, leader of the Hephaestus cabin. A tall, well-built boy, with a deep tan on his body and burn marks on his arms. "The group of monsters that attacked us exceeded the usual number. There were more than fifty of them. Much more than we are used to."

"Maybe it's because they weren't after us"Ryan, the leader of cabin six, suggested, looking at Thalia and the others with calculating eyes. He was a sixteen-year-old teenager with blond hair and grey eyes, a trait shared by the children of Athena"So I guess you were after them. The monsters arrived when you did.

"You brought the monsters to camp! "John snapped at the four of them.

Thalia was starting to get tired of this boy's attitude. She gritted her teeth, considering releasing all her frustration and going at this boy. And she had a lot of anger to release.

" Enough, John! We're not looking for culprits in this situation! "Chiron reprimanded him strongly, surprising Thalia a little. The hero trainer looked like the typical school teacher who made his classes not boring.

John deflated a little at the reprimand. He even lowered his head in sorrow.

"We need to find a solution," said James, the leader of cabin eleven. The serious expression was rare for a son of Hermes, many were used to seeing the leader with a mischievous smile, but the hard expression on his face reflected the seriousness of the situation. "We used a lot of our traps during this attack. If a small army like that attacks us again, we won't come out so well this time. Mike, is there any chance of building another bronze dragon?"

That caught Luke's attention, who looked up slightly in curiosity.

Mike shook his head sadly.

"Building something like that took us months. I doubt we have that much time. Besides, we all know how that experiment ended.

Everyone frowned at that, remembering how much of a failure it was to build that dragon in an attempt to protect the camp's borders.

"We need to find a way to protect the camp's borders," said the same girl who had served glasses of nectar to the new demigods and soft drinks to the others". A third of the campers were injured, and we were only able to repel the attack.

"We know, but we don't have many options," Ryan said, clenching his fists in frustration. It was a blow to his pride as a son of Athena not to have an answer to a situation as urgent as this one.

"We can discuss that later," Chiron said, ending the topic. "For now, we have another matter at hand."

Everyone understood his words and looked at the small group that had arrived at the camp. Luke looked up and found everyone staring at him, causing him to feel a little uncomfortable at all the attention.

"I think it is time for you to properly introduce yourselves," Chiron said. "Tell me, young ones, do you know exactly who you are? Do you know your ancestry?"

Luke understood the question and nodded slowly, followed by Thalia and Annabeth.

That surprised everyone a little. It was strange that at such a young age they knew who they really were. Let alone knowing who their parents were.

"My name... is Luke Castellan. I am a son of Hermes" he decided to begin. He brought a hand to his chest and showed them the caduceus he had, implying his ancestry.

"Great, one more little brother," James said, giving him the trademark Hermes smile. Which Luke weakly returned.

"I... I'm Annabeth... Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena" Annabeth introduced herself.

Ryan looked at the girl, curiosity shining in his eyes.

"Mmm... Interesting" was all he said, in an appreciative tone.

When everyone looked at Thalia, she frowned and looked away, annoyed.

"Thalia, daughter of Zeus," he said, to everyone's surprise.

The campers' mouths dropped open at that. Even Chiron looked slightly puzzled at that fact. His tail twitched erratically in concern.

"You have got to be kidding me," John was the first to compose himself, expressing his disbelief. "There hasn't been a child of the Big Three in over fifty years."

Thalia gave him an annoyed look, frowning even deeper. She raised her hand and almost immediately, sparks of electricity began to crackle in her hand.

"You wanna find out, you idiot? "she asked, her eyes shining menacingly.

John took that as a challenge and grinned wildly, but was stopped by Chiron before things could get out of hand.

"I think that's enough," said the old centaur. "We believe you. That only leaves us...

He looked away at little Sammy, who hadn't spoken or looked up the entire time he'd been at camp. Chiron felt a great deal of pity for the little girl.

"This is Sammy," Luke decided to speak instead. "She's not a demigoddess. She's a mortal with clear vision."

"I see," Chiron said. "Normally, mortals aren't allowed in camp, but I'll consider this a small exception. If it's okay with you, you can stay in the Big House in one of the rooms we have upstairs," he finished in a kind tone, looking at the girl.

Sammy said nothing. She gave no indication that she had heard the centaur. When Chiron was about to speak again, she nodded almost imperceptibly.

"Okay. Lucy, can you show her to one of the empty rooms?" he politely asked the leader of cabin ten.

The lovely daughter of Aphrodite nodded and escorted Sammy upstairs, offering to let her take a bath and give her a couple of changes of clothes.

As the two disappeared up the stairs, Quiró looked at the three new campers.

"How about we show you around your cabins and camp with your brothers? You have a lot to learn"the old centaur offered, receiving distracted nods from Luke and Annabeth.

"I understand that I am the only daughter of Zeus in this place, am I not?" Thalia said, receiving a nod from Chiron. "So, may I go back to my cabin?"

"Don't you want to see the camp?" Chiron asked, eyebrow raised. "If you'd like, I can ask one of the campers to""

"I'm not interested," she said, getting up from her chair and walking towards the exit. She had recognized Zeus' cabin when she walked around the camp, it wasn't too hard to identify considering how ostentatious and flashy it was. Thalia already hated it.

Now that he had been given a tour of the entire camp, Luke could tell that it wasn't all that bad. It looked like a typical summer camp, especially cabin eleven, the Hermes cabin.

"Welcome, Luke, to the coolest cabin in the whole camp," James introduced with the smile of a used car salesman.

It was old, there was no doubt about it, the paint faded, and the wood that had been replaced several times because of the difference in color on the facade. Above the door was the symbol of Hermes, the caduceus. The same symbol that Luke had on the pendant around his neck.

"Didn't they have more money to do something more worthy of the children of a god? "Luke asked.

Ryan let out a loud laugh, as if I had told him the best joke he had ever heard.

"Funny thing is, I had the same impression when I first came here," he said. "But don't think that running a summer camp is cheap. Most of the money goes on weapons, food, and medicine. You'd be surprised how much money is spent on the latter. Come on. Let me introduce you to the others.

Deciding to ignore the financial problems the camp had for the children of the Olympian gods, Luke followed James into cabin eleven. The wood of the porch creaked under his feet and he was afraid to stomp too hard lest he accidentally break it.

The first thing that struck him was the amount of boys and girls in the place. It was a little overwhelming, but it had a cozy feel to it that Luke found comforting. Although he wasn't a big fan of sharing his personal space, he had gotten used to living for months in the same car as four other people (can demigods even be considered people?), a satyr, and recently, a bitch from hell.

Thinking about that, Luke wondered where Ms. O'Leary was. Ever since Percy... she'd disappeared. Maybe that was the wise thing to do, though. I don't think the campers would appreciate seeing a hellhound happily running around camp, never mind that she was a harmless dog who liked having her stomach scratched.

Inside cabin eleven were several bunk beds, all of them occupied. There were even sleeping bags on the floor of the cabin. The sight made Luke a little sad, but he was used to sleeping like this. More than two years of living on the streets taught you not to be picky about the little you had.

"Alright, you bunch of useless people! I have news for you!" James shouted, drawing the attention of all the members of the cabin. The few who were still asleep gave him confused and sleepy glances, but the cabin leader didn't wait for them to be fully awake. "First of all, you need to be on alert for another possible attack. We're not sure if the monsters will attack again or not. So keep your weapons close to you at all times. Second, I'm pleased to report that there were no casualties in this attack, just a few injuries." Everyone looked a bit relaxed before that, which made Luke wonder how frequent monster attacks were at camp. "And third, but not least, we have a new camper joining us, his name is Luke Castellan."

"Normal or TBA? " someone's voice was heard among the crowd.

James smiled, looking eerily similar to Luke for a second.

"To your pleasant surprise, he is a son of Hermes. Luke here has already proven his worth to the gods.

Excited applause soon began to be heard throughout the venue, along with a few whistles of approval, which puzzled Luke a little.

"Prove myself? "she asked James, curious. "What do you mean?

"You see, a lot of campers have to prove themselves to them before they even know who their divine father is. They usually get the chance to do so at the Summer and Winter Solstice Tournaments," James explained. "When they do, you usually see their symbol of power displayed over the camper's head, or depending on how they proved themselves, they get a gift from their father."

James ended up looking at the pendant Luke had around his neck, as if he knew what it really was, but he didn't say anything. Or maybe he was considering stealing it, after all, they shared the same father, who was the god of thieves.

Luke was assigned a small space in the corner. This was to be expected, not because he was the new kid, but because the bunks were full and sleeping bags cluttered the floor. He had to be careful not to accidentally step on someone when he had to use the bathroom at night.

He sat down on the wooden floor and leaned his back against the wall. He let out a long sigh that he had been holding in, feeling his shoulders relax just a little. The tour around the camp had kept his mind busy, but now that he was taking a short break, he inevitably began to think about what had happened just a few hours ago.

It all seemed so surreal. The night before, he had been on the beach, building a campfire while eating hot dogs and marshmallows. It seemed like weeks ago. He felt as if he had aged several years in the last few hours.

"We're safe, aren't we? It's all over now, but... at what cost?"

Losing his best friend. That had been the cost of keeping them safe. And something he would have to live with for the rest of his life.

¨ Take care of them... Luke ¨

His words echoed in his mind, along with his best friend's dying gaze.

She felt a lump form in her throat and she tightened her grip on her necklace.

"I will, Percy... I promise."

James approached him and offered him a sleeping bag, along with some towels and a change of clothes that had the orange Camp Half-Blood shirt on it.

"Here. You'll need it," she offered, with a big smile. "Welcome to Camp Half-Blood, Luke."

"I must say, you are the youngest to arrive at camp," Ryan commented, as he walked alongside Annabeth towards cabin six.

"Is there an average age for demigods to come to camp? "Annabeth asked, while looking carefully around the surroundings.

To others, it seemed as if she was looking at the camp in an interested and fascinated manner. And she was, to a certain extent. She found it interesting to see the combination of Greek architectural style and the image of a summer camp, but what she really wanted now was to keep her mind occupied. That was why she had been asking Ryan questions ever since they left the Big House. Taking the opportunity to ask about anything she saw. From the dining pavilion, the sandpit, the climbing wall, the organization of the cabins, even the strange event that occurred twice a year within the camp.

"Normally, new campers are around twelve years old," Ryan explained, in a tone that a teacher would use with his students. "It is at that age that our scent is the strongest, and inevitably attracts many monsters. We have no choice but to come here, to Camp Half-Blood."

"But how do they come here when they don't know where it is?" Annabeth asked. "Do they send them a letter telling them the address of the camp?"

Ryan seemed mildly amused by the little girl's question.

"This isn't Harry Potter, in case you hadn't noticed," he said, his tone amused, causing Annabeth to smile slightly. "And to answer your question; no. We don't send letters. We send satyrs. Their sense of smell is pretty good at locating and identifying demigods. When they do, they notify Chiron and then proceed to approach the demigod. If his mortal parent is still alive, it's easier to explain his parentage, since gods have a habit of really revealing who they are to their… lovers."

Annabeth frowned, absorbing the new information given to her. If what she was being told was correct, then her father knew all along who her mother was. He knew from the beginning who Annabeth really was, but he never told her. Why? Why did she remind him of Athena? Did she remind him of that goddess who abandoned him? Was that why he stopped paying attention when he remarried and started a new family?

Ryan, seeing Annabeth's conflicted expression, decided to speak up.

"Don't blame your dad for not telling you," Ryan said, bringing Annabeth out of her thoughts.

" How come...?

"Don't look so surprised. I went through the same thing. When I found out who I really am, I was really angry at my father for not telling me, but then I realized that if he had, he would have only put me in danger.

- What are you talking about?

"The scent of demigods becomes even stronger when he knows who they really are" he explained. "Maybe your father didn't tell you because he wanted to protect you.

Annabeth thought about that. Was it true? Had her father kept her in the dark to protect her? She didn't know how to feel about that. She remembered the times he was a good father to her. The times he was always there for her. And how he started to push her aside when he met the woman who was later living as her stepmother.

"He probably didn't tell me to protect himself and his family," Annabeth thought bitterly. In her mind, she wasn't part of her father's new family.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice they had reached cabin six. It was a gray-painted cabin with a carved owl over the door and white curtains for privacy. As if you could ever get any privacy at summer camp.

"Come on, Annabeth Chase," Ryan said, walking toward the cabin. "It's time for you to meet the sons and daughters of the goddess of wisdom."

"Come on in. I'm sick of these damn monsters. I'm not going to live oppressed ever again... I'm going to put an end to this once and for all!"

Thalia hit her head against the bathroom wall as she bit her lower lip hard. The water ran through the shower, washing away the traces of dirt that her body had from the night before. The dirt, the mud, the blood...

"There are times when you have to face danger in order to protect what you care about, what you love the most. And for me, that's all of you."

She hit her head against the wall again, this time harder. Ever since she left the Big House and headed to what was now her cabin, Thalia had tried to sleep, but the memories kept her from doing so. When she felt her consciousness fading, the events of the previous night flashed through her mind with force, preventing her from achieving the sleep she so desperately needed.

"Why...? "she asked, her voice broken.

She had repeated that for hours. Trying to sleep, but never succeeding. She hadn't left her cabin all day. Through the windows, she could see the sunlight fading. Hear the voices of the campers as they ran around the place. A couple of times someone had called out, but she chose to ignore it.

" Why did you do it, Percy...?

"I did it... to give them... a future... One they deserve..."

"You didn't have to do it... We could have found another way... Another path...

She stifled a sob as she stepped out of the shower and dried her wet body and hair with a towel. She dressed in the clothes she had, along with the ridiculous t-shirt the camp had given her. At least her black horn jacket was still okay. She wished she didn't have to wear something as ridiculous as orange, but she had no other choice, her previous clothes were stained with grime and blood. Her blood...

Seeing that, Thalia looked down at her hands and grabbed the towel she had dried her body with. She began to rub them against her hand harder, but it was no use. She went to the sink and turned on the faucet, letting the water run down as she wet her hands again to wash them.

"It won't go away... It won't go away..." she muttered in a low voice, looking at her hands in despair.

There were no more tears to shed, her eyes were dry and irritated. She looked at her hands that were shaking slightly. From her point of view, her hands were soaked in blood. Percy's blood.

"I'm sorry... I wish I could have spent more time... with all of you..."

She bit her lip harder, causing her mouth to flood with the taste of iron, but she didn't care as she continued to rub her hands harder to the point where they became painful.

So much time and effort spent searching for a place where they could be safe, where they wouldn't have to worry about monsters lurking around them at all times. The hope of having a future, of living a long life... All of that had to be paid for with a sacrifice. The greatest sacrifice that could be made, and one that will remain in their memory for the rest of their lives.

"As long as you can survive and be safe, I wouldn't mind giving my life."

"It's my fault," she said. "If I hadn't left him alone..."

"I'm not alone, Thalia..." she remembered Percy's words, as clear in her mind as if he himself had said it in front of her.

That smile that would remain forever etched in his memory. That same smile that he had on his lips when he closed his eyes and never opened them again.

"I've got you guys, haven't I?"

Those words pierced his heart.

Thalia punched her bathroom mirror hard and angry, causing her knuckles to bleed and the mirror to fall into pieces. She punched the porcelain sink with both hands, causing it to shatter and fall, dripping water all over the place, but she didn't care. The pain cleared her mind a little, but it wasn't enough.

Releasing her pent-up rage, Thalia began to tear apart the bathroom. She punched the white marble wall hard, causing it to crack, but in her blind rage, Thalia didn't notice. She ripped apart the shower curtains and kicked the wooden bathroom door hard, ripping it off its hinges and sending it flying several feet.

Since Zeus's hut was unfurnished, there was nothing for her to destroy. Then her eyes fell on the decorations on the walls. Statues of eagles on a marble pedestal and bronze armourers.

None of them were spared from the wrath of the daughter of Zeus.

Luke walked calmly with a tray of food in his hands towards cabin one.

Thalia hadn't left what was now her cabin all day. He understood that she wanted to be alone, but he was worried when she didn't show up for lunch or dinner. Annabeth had gone to ask about her twice, but hadn't gotten any answers.

Sammy had also been cooped up in the Big House all day, but she had kindly accepted the tray of food Lucy had brought her. But Thalia hadn't eaten all day. Hence why Luke had come to her cabin with a generous helping of barbecue, bread, apples, and cheese. He had even... taken a slice of smoked ham from James' plate when he wasn't looking.

A loud crash caught his attention. It was coming from Zeus' cabin. Worried that something or someone was attacking his friend, Luke quickly ran towards the cabin.

"I just hope it's not that jerk John," Luke thought.

All day long, the leader of the Ares cabin had been throwing shit at Thalia. Saying that now that there was a daughter of the Big Three living at camp, they would be forced to kiss the spoiled brat's ass. Though he commented that he wouldn't mind, she did have a nice ass after all.

James had to stop Luke from shoving Backbiter up his ass.

When he reached the cabin door, Luke knocked to get Thalia's attention.

" Thalia! Are you there!? It's Luke! Let me in!

The noises stopped and Luke heard heavy footsteps on the other side of the door until it opened, allowing him to see what was inside.

Thalia stood in front of him, wearing an orange camp t-shirt under her black jacket, which felt a little unnatural on him. Her hair was as usual, spiky and uncontrolled. Her eyes glared at him, but dimmed slightly when she saw it was Luke.

"What do you want, Luke? "she asked, although she tried to sound calm, there was still an underlying tone of annoyance in her voice.

He briefly looked around the cabin. It was a mess. The floor was littered with rubble from what had once been statues of some animal Luke couldn't identify. Shattered pieces of pedestals and bronze bracers with large dents in them shaped like... fists?

"I came to bring you something to eat," Luke said, coming out of his contemplation and showing her the tray of abundant food. "I assumed you were a little hungry, since I didn't see you in the dining room."

"I'm not hungry," she replied curtly.

"But you haven't eaten all day, right? Come on, take a bite of the barbecue. It's really good.

"I said I'm not hungry! "she waited, losing the little patience she had.

"Hey, I'm just a little worried about you," he said, frowning. "You haven't been out all day. Annabeth came looking for you, but you didn't answer. You haven't even seen the camp."

"I don't care about that stupid camp. They can all go to hell for all I care.

Luke was surprised by the outburst and bitterness in his friend's voice.

"Come on, not all of them are that bad" he tried to defend the camp". Yes, there are some who are real jerks, like John, but there are also some great people like James, Ryan, and Chiron.

"Yeah, you probably got to know them pretty well today," she said, rolling her eyes. "Why don't you go join them and eat marshmallows by the campfire and sing camper songs? I've got better things to do than play camper."

"How about a little remodeling? "he asked, briefly looking around at the chaos that was the interior of his cabin.

Thalia growled at that.

"Leave me alone. At least I care about what happened.

"What's that supposed to mean? "Luke asked, annoyed.

"Find out for yourself.

She made a gesture to close the door, but Luke stopped her by placing a hand on the door.

"Thalia, listen to me"her voice turned slightly pleading"I know you're sad about what happened, but...

" Sad? I'm not sad, I'm mad! "she yelled in his face, surprising him with her outburst. "Angry! I'm furious about all this shit! And it doesn't help that you and Annabeth are running around this place like nothing happened!

Luke, having had enough of his friend's immature attitude, threw the tray of food onto the floor, spilling the contents all over the place. This disconcerted Thalia a little, but she was surprised when she saw Luke shiver slightly.

"You think… You think you're the only one who's having a hard time?" she asked quietly. "You're not the only one who loved Percy. He is… he was… my best friend… And he sacrificed himself to save us! He did it to give us a future! You heard him!"

"And that's precisely why I'm furious! "she complained. "You shouldn't have done that!

" The monsters were upon us! We wouldn't have arrived in time if he hadn't stopped them so someone could come to the camp for help.

" I know! I understand that, but..."Thalia lowered her head as she clenched her fists tightly and her shoulders trembled.

" Then why are you so upset?

It was several seconds before Thalia looked up again, and Luke was shocked to see her crying. Tears were streaming down her face, and she did nothing to stop them.

"We could have helped him," she said. "We could have been there for him. That way he wouldn't have had to stay behind. He wouldn't have had to sacrifice himself..."

It was then that Luke understood. Thalia wasn't upset with them, or with the camp, or even with Percy. She was upset because she felt like she had left Percy behind. That, in a way, she had abandoned him.

That was a tough pill to swallow, but it was true. Percy stayed behind to stop the monsters, but he shouldn't have had to do it alone. They could have sent Annabeth, Sammy, and Grover back to camp for help while he, Thalia, and Percy stayed behind to keep the monsters at bay. They could have watched each other's backs like they always did.

The revelation hit Luke to the point where he felt his knees weak and he fell to his knees on the floor.

They had abandoned Percy.

He had left his best friend behind in order to save himself.

"We... We abandoned him…" he whispered, his voice shaking. Guilt was beginning to eat away at him. "We left him behind to save ourselves... And he... He died because of it…"

Luke put his hands on his head, as if he was trying to shake off the guilt somehow. Thalia looked at him with pity, as he began to sob weakly and apologize over and over again.

"We are safe, but... at what cost?" she thought bitterly.

But he didn't have time to wallow in his guilt when someone else burst into the cabin.

" Thalia! Luke! This is bad! "Annabeth screamed, making herself known.

Her breathing was heavy, and she was sweating. Maybe it was from the action of running all the way to Zeus's cabin, but that wasn't what caught Thalia's attention, it was the expression on her face. Annabeth was scared, terrified.

Thalia wiped her tears with the back of her hand before looking at the girl.

"Annabeth, what's wrong? "she asked worriedly.

Annabeth took a few breaths to catch her breath before speaking.

"It's… It's Percy!" she screamed, alarming Luke and Thalia. "His body's gone!"

Night had fallen on the camp by then. Campers could be seen finishing up their daily activities such as training, arena duels, basketball games, or just another day of leisure.

But that wasn't the case for any of the three demigods who were running fervently towards the Big House. Thalia, Luke, and Annabeth ignored the stares they received from the campers and made their way to the porch of the Big House. Thalia briefly wondered if it was some kind of taunt towards the White House, but decided to ignore it as she opened the door as if she owned the place.

" Hey, man! What the hell is this about Percy's body disappearing!? "Thalia came in, questioning the old centaur who was in his wheelchair. If Thalia found it curious how a centaur could sit in a wheelchair and look like an invalid man, she didn't show it.

Chiron calmly turned around in his wheelchair, not looking upset by the young demigoddess's outburst. Beside him, Sammy was in a chair, looking like a statue or a large doll because she didn't move in the slightest. She didn't react to the arrival of the others, she simply continued to stare at the floor.

"I'm afraid that's exactly it," Chiron sighed regretfully. "Your friend's body has disappeared from the infirmary."

" But how could it have disappeared!? It's a damn corpse! Someone must have moved it!

" Calm down, Thalia! "Luke scolded, placing a hand on her shoulder". Yelling won't accomplish anything.

"But he's right," Annabeth intervened. "Someone must have moved it. Who was allowed into the infirmary?" she ended by asking Chiron.

"Anyone has access to the infirmary," the centaur replied, with a grim expression. "Though I don't know the reason why someone would want to take the body of his friend."

"How long has he been missing? "Luke asked.

"About fifteen minutes. Little Sammy here wanted to see him before we decided to give him the necessary funeral rites. When Victor and I went in, we found that the bed where we had left him was empty. But the most curious thing was...

Chiron was silent for a second, making everyone nervous. He dragged his wheelchair over to the ping-pong table and showed them something they hadn't noticed before.

"That's it…" Annabeth said, in recognition.

"We found this on the bed," Chiron said, showing them the dogtooth knife from hell. "It was on the pillow, next to the sheets that were folded up. I assume it belonged to your friend."

"Yeah, that was Percy's knife," Luke said. "It's made from the tooth of a hellhound. So it's effective at killing any monster we've ever met. It was his weapon. I've never seen him without it. When we met him, he already had that knife." Luke laughed sadly at that. "In fact, he threatened to kill us with it when we first met him."

Chiron studied the knife appreciatively.

"Very interesting," he said. "This is the first time I've heard of a demigod wielding a weapon like this. Normally they do it with some weapon made of celestial bronze or an alloy of it. But to do it with a monster's part… Your friend was pretty clever. I guess he felt the need to find his own way to defend himself."

"That was Percy..." Annabeth said, with a small smile as she remembered the boy who had given her her own weapon.

Thalia stepped forward and grabbed the knife. She studied it closely, looking from the wooden handle to the horn strap holding it together to the prong that was about a foot long. It looked sharp, and very dangerous. She knew how lethal it could be in the hands of someone skilled, Percy had been the perfect example.

"You should keep it," Chiron encouraged, slightly surprising Thalia. "A demigod's weapon is like an extension of himself. If you keep it, then a part of him will always be with you. That way, he won't be forgotten."

Thalia clutched the knife tightly and cradled it to her chest, holding on to the last of her dear friend as a lone tear fell down her face.

¨Percy...¨

The sound of the door opening loudly was heard and the boy they recognized as the leader of the Apollo cabin and the camp's head doctor came out.

" Chiron! " Victor called, alarmed. " We found him, but...! You have to see this!

His arrival caught everyone's attention, including Sammy's, who raised his head.

"Victor, what's wrong?" Chiron asked, noticing the urgency in the demigod's voice.

"We found his body on the top of the hill, but something is happening to him! I've never seen anything like this!

"What!? "Thalia exclaimed". What the hell happened to him!?

"I better show them," Victor said, turning to leave. "Hurry!"

As they ran through the camp, again, led by Victor towards the hill, Luke noticed that they weren't the only ones doing so. All of the campers were running towards the hill. Some were armed, carrying shields and spears, while others looked like they had just come out of the bath, as he saw one camper with only a towel around his waist, he just hoped he had underwear underneath.

That made Luke wonder what the hell was going on for the entire camp to run towards the hill. It had to be serious if the campers were armed. Fear began to fill him at the thought that they were being attacked again by another horde of monsters. But what worried him most was, what did Percy have to do with all this?

Luke shook his head away those thoughts. He would know when he got there. With that in mind, he began to run faster.

It wasn't hard to figure out where to go. The campers huddled around one spot was a dead giveaway. From what he could see in the distance, they were huddled around what was a plant... a tree. It was about two meters tall, but the strange thing was that it was slowly growing in height and thickness.

"What the hell is that? "Thalia was the first to break the silence.

"Let's find out, Luke said.

When they reached the top of the hill, they began to push the campers aside, not very gently on Thalia's part, earning them several insults and reproachful looks. She ignored them as she made her way through the crowd to see what was happening.

She was not prepared for what she saw.

In the middle of the circle formed by the campers, a tree was slowly and steadily beginning to grow, already reaching three meters in height. But it was not that which worried her, but what was between the roots and was slowly beginning to disappear.

Percy's body.

"What... What the hell is going on?..." she whispered.

He watched as the tree began to consume him, no... The tree seemed to emerge from his own body and began to fuse with the bark, slowly disappearing inside.

"Chiron... What is this?" Luke asked, dumbfounded. "What the hell is going on!?"

The old centaur, now in his true equine form, watched everything with surprise and... sadness.

"This is... divine intervention," Chiron said, to the surprise of everyone present. "Some god, probably your progenitor, is the cause of this."

"But... why!? "Thalia yelled". Why are you doing this!?

The tree began to grow even faster. It had already reached over ten meters in height, and there were no signs of it stopping. Percy's body had already completely disappeared, swallowed up by the roots of the still-growing tree.

"I'm not entirely sure yet, but let's hope it's what I think.

The campers quickly backed away, afraid that the same thing would happen to them. They watched as the tree grew to over twenty meters in height, with lush green leaves that stood out more than any other tree on the hill. The trunk was already over a meter and a half in diameter, looking strong and full of life.

By the time the tree was fully grown, it was over thirty-five meters tall, towering majestically on the hill, being the most visible tree on the whole hill. The trunk was over two meters in diameter, and the leaves completely covered the sky, giving a perfect shadow around the trunk.

But what caught their attention was that, from the tree, a transparent glow began to emerge and spread, like a bubble, which began to surround the entire place, similar to a dome, as it began to extend even over the sky. Everyone watched fascinated as the bubble began to grow in size and surround the entire camp that was seen from the hill.

By the time it was over, they saw that the entire camp was inside this bubble that began to become more transparent to the point where it disappeared.

"What... What was that? "Ryan was the first to come out of his stupor and asked the question that was on everyone's mind.

"A barrier.

Everyone turned to see a new figure coming up the hill. He was a small, fat man. He had a chubby face, a red nose, bloodshot purple eyes, and curly jet-black hair. He was wearing an extravagant leopard-print Hawaiian shirt that Thalia thought looked awful. Even the orange camp shirt looked better than that shirt.

"Mr. D," Chiron said, appreciatively. "By 'barrier,' do you mean…?"

Mr. D nodded.

"That's right, my dear centaur" he walked calmly with his hands behind his back, further accentuating his prominent belly". The father of this... demigod... decided to turn his son into the tree you see before you" he stood in front of the tree and looked it up and down, as if he were examining its quality.

"And who is this? "Thalia whispered to Grover, who was standing next to her.

Grover swallowed audibly before answering.

"He's the camp director," she replied in a low voice. "Dionysus, the god of wine."

Thalia looked slightly impressed by that fact.

"This fat man?" she asked skeptically. "If he is a god, why doesn't he take a form that is pleasing to the eye?"

Dionisio gave them a warning sidelong glance, causing Grover to start shaking and Thalia to feel uncomfortable.

"By turning your son into a tree, a barrier was created that surrounded the entire camp, like a dome. Quite powerful, I must admit," Mr. D continued explaining, as if he hadn't heard anything. "This barrier will keep out any monsters. Indeed, the ultimate defense for the brats. Now I won't listen to your pitiful complaints about the camp's defenses anymore."

The campers stared at Mr. D in shock, unable to believe what he was telling them. They had always had this problem ever since they lived at the camp. Despite having a place to themselves, monsters still kept attacking at intervals and they had to constantly defend it. The fact that they were offered a solution to that... A solution to their biggest problem... It seemed so unreal, but their hearts began to burn with hope.

"Are... Are you serious? "James asked, still in disbelief". Are... Are we safe? No more monsters?

"That's what I said, Jack.

"It's James...

"Yes, whatever you say," he waved his hand dismissively. "What matters now is that they are safe now. Be grateful, child."

The campers began to smile, some even crying from the relief of no longer being hunted down and killed for simply existing. For each of them, it was as if a weight they had carried their entire lives had been lifted.

"Which god? "Ryan asked, sharing the excitement of all the demigods. "Who is the father of this demigod? We must pay our due respects to him. Mr. D... Who is the god who gave us the protection we so desperately needed?

Mr. D chuckled lightly, as if he was sharing a joke that no one else understood. Or maybe he was just drunk from being the god of wine.

"No god set up this barrier, Randy. It is true that the same god who turned his son into this tree is responsible for the power, but who gave form to that power... It was his son, the demigod who died. His will and desire gave form to the barrier.

That fact surprised everyone. Especially those who were close to Percy.

"Percy... He... He wanted to protect us? "Luke asked, his voice shaking.

"It seems so," Mr. D replied disinterestedly. "Apparently, that was his last action before he died. He was certainly a true hero…"

The wine god's words shocked all the campers. Although it was small, there was a certain respect towards the deceased demigod. All the campers looked at the tree with appreciation. It seemed to radiate a comforting warmth to everyone present, like the warm fire of a fireplace on a winter night.

James stepped forward, standing in front of the tree.

"I never got to meet you, but... What you did tonight will stay in my memory, and in the memory of everyone here forever" said James, then bowed his head in gratitude". You have given us the protection we were looking for and the hope of a much more prosperous future. Thank you very much, Percy.

One by one, all the demigods bowed their heads in respect and gratitude for the demigod they had never met, but whose actions would never be forgotten. He gave them the opportunity for a future, something that seemed impossible for all of them. Even Chiron and the satyrs present bowed their heads in respect.

In the middle of them, Thalia, Luke, Annabeth, Sammy, and Grover cried at the image before them.

"Even after he's dead... He still protects us..."Luke cried, as he looked at the tree.

"That's right, Percy," Thalia said, clutching Percy's knife to her chest. "He always cared more about us than himself."

"He always gave us hope," Annabeth said, tears in her eyes. "Even now that he's no longer with us, he still does."

"It's just like Mr. D said," Grover said, wiping away a tear. "Percy was a true hero."

Sammy didn't say anything, he just stared at the tree with a broken expression as he cried with one hand tightly clutching his sweatshirt where his heart was.

"He's really gone..." she thought, her heart breaking. "And he won't be back..."

That night, August 18th, a tree arose that would provide protection to the entire camp. The campers called it "Percy's Tree." A tree that represented the hope of all the demigods.

When all the campers decided to return to their routine, it was those who were close to Percy who stayed under the new tree that adorned the half-blood hill. Sammy, Thalia, Luke, Annabeth, and Grover decided to stay to listen to the last words their dear friend had left them on the voice recorder he gave them with his last breath.

Luke was the first to break the silence that had been present for a few minutes.

"To be honest, in all the hustle and bustle of getting to know the camp, I had forgotten about the recorder he left us" he confessed.

He was leaning against what was now known as Percy's Tree. In front of him, they were all sitting in a circle, staring at the recorder that was in the middle of them. They had been staring at it for several minutes, unsure of hearing the voice of their dead friend. They weren't prepared for this. Different feelings swirled around them as they thought about what they would hear on the recording. They felt anxious, unsure, and most of all, scared.

"Well, you're not the only one. I forgot too"Thalia agreed, but it was mainly because she couldn't get the memories of Percy out of her head. Especially his words and... that fleeting kiss they shared. When she thought about it, it only caused a sharp pain in her heart.

"I... I'm scared to hear it," Sammy said, hugging her knees to her chest.

The others looked at her with sympathy. Out of all of them, Sammy loved Percy the most. If they felt hurt by Percy's loss, she couldn't imagine what Sammy felt.

"I think it's our duty to do so," Grover said, to everyone's surprise"Percy took his time to leave us one last message before..." he left his words hanging, but everyone knew what he meant by that". What I mean is, it would be sad not to hear his last words.

"I agree," Annabeth said. "I want to hear it. Like Grover said, if he took his time to leave us a last message, maybe he wanted to tell us something important."

With that new perspective, the others put aside their insecurity and decided to listen to the recorder. After a mutual nod between Thalia and Luke, the punk girl grabbed the recorder and pressed the play button in the middle of the device.

Everyone's hearts began to beat faster as they heard a faint sound of wind blowing and another sound that they identified as waves on the beach.

" Umm... Hello? "Percy's recorded voice was heard.

Everyone felt a pang of sadness in their hearts as they heard the voice of their dead friend. They all thought they would never hear him again.

" Does this shit really work? Because I don't want to look like a crazy guy talking to himself in the middle of the beach. Although I am really talking to myself...

There were a couple of dry laughs, but everyone had a sad look in their eyes as they listened to Percy.

" I just hope this thing is actually recording, Percy said, letting out a long, tired sigh. " Hey, guys. To be honest with you, I don't want anyone to hear this. If they do, it means I didn't make it, and what Hal prophesied was true.

That revelation surprised Luke and Thalia, but confused Annabeth, Sammy, and Grover.

"Who's Hal? "Annabeth asked.

"Thalia and Luke know what I'm talking about, but Annabeth, Sammy, and Grover probably don't, "Percy said". Halcyon Green, or Hal, was a son of Apollo who had the gift of prophecy. In other words, he could see the future. When Thalia received her father's mission, we met this demigod. And it was thanks to him that we were able to survive that day.

"Thalia, is that true?" Annabeth asked, looking at her friend.

Thalia nodded in confirmation, looking at her bracelet-shaped Aegis shield. She remembered everything they had gone through to obtain it. She remembered that son of Apollo who sacrificed himself to save them from the leucrotas.

" When we met Hal, he used his powers to see our future. He did it so we could find a way to survive that day, and we did it thanks to Luke, but... Hal also saw my future and he... "Percy was silent for a few seconds, as if gathering the courage to say the next words". He told me that he would sacrifice myself to save my friends.

Everyone stared at the recorder in shock, unable to believe what Percy had told them.

"He... knew it," Thalia said, her eyes wide. "He knew he would die before he reached camp."

"So why didn't you do anything to stop it? "Luke asked, still surprised.

"Prophecies can't be avoided," Grover said grimly. "Sooner or later, they always come true, one way or another."

" I have to say, I didn't know what to think at first, Percy said. But with the dreams I started having since that day, I was getting more and more convinced that I really would die the way Hal said. I always saw myself dying on top of a hill on a rainy night. Grover said the camp is surrounded by hills, so I guess I'll die there.

No one said anything at that. Grover was right. Hal's prophecy had come true exactly as he said. Percy had sacrificed himself to save them.

" I want you to know that even if I have to die, I'm not afraid to do so. I've already accepted it, and I don't want you to feel bad about it. As I told you before, as long as you can survive and be safe, I wouldn't mind giving my life.

The recording went silent, the only thing that could be heard was the sound of the waves on the sand and the gentle wind. Everyone thought that Percy would not say anything else, until they heard him laugh softly, catching them off guard.

" You know what? The funny thing is that when you're about to die, or when you know you're going to die, you start thinking about the life you had. At first, I had a good life. Even though I lived in poverty, had an abusive stepfather, and lived my whole life as an outcast, I had my mother, and that was all I cared about... Yeah... I had a good life.

Hearing that brought a sad smile to everyone, but they were surprised by his next words.

"But then, everything changed when she was killed by my stepfather "They could almost feel the anger Percy had when he said that. He sighed, and the tension eased a little" From then on, I left what was once my home and began living on the streets ever since.

The atmosphere became strangely somber upon hearing that. Thalia felt both pity and empathy for Percy. She understood exactly what it was like to leave your home because the person you loved the most died. She realized that Percy and she shared the same burden.

But before anyone could speak, the recording continued:

" Things have not been easy for me since then, "he said, with regret in his voice". I recognize that I could have been better, faced things in a different way. Been a better son to my mother... A better friend to you all... Been a better person to show this cruel world that I couldn't be broken. But I did the best I could, I just have to live with that for the little time I have left.

There was resignation in Percy's voice. He had truly accepted his impending death. No one knew whether to feel sad or happy about that.

In the recording, Percy sighed wearily.

" I always cursed my own life ever since my mother died," he said, to everyone's surprise. " I felt so much anger… So much hatred towards everything and everyone that I couldn't control myself. It was lucky that I didn't die because of how many times I sought out monsters to vent my anger. But… One day… After I had killed a pack of hellhounds, I stopped and looked at the sky and the sea from a cliff. It was then that I realized how small my worries were. I saw that there was a much bigger world out there, bigger than I could ever fathom. And that made me realize how small I really am."

When I met them... Deep inside I felt that if I protected them, if I kept them safe, all my sins could be forgiven. For the first time, I was glad I had been born. At the end of it all... I was able to forgive myself.

By this time, everyone had tears in their eyes. Sadness, gratitude, regret, guilt... All these feelings were predominant within them.

" Sammy " Percy said, getting the little girl's attention " Thank you for showing me that there was still humanity inside me. That there was still something good inside me. You saved me from myself.

"Percy..." she sobbed, hugging her legs tightly.

" Annabeth, thank you for showing me that even though we were born as demigods, we can still dream, and aspire to be better. To do something we can be remembered for.

"No... thanks to you, Percy," Annabeth said, with a sad smile.

" Grover, thank you for showing us the light at the end of the tunnel. If you hadn't shown up, we would have all continued to wander aimlessly. The fact that you showed up gave us hope for a better future.

Grover didn't say anything. He just hung his head in sorrow, while crying silently.

" Luke, you were the best friend I could have ever had. When we spent time together, I wondered if this was what it felt like to have a brother. You accepted me from the start. Without even knowing me, you trusted and believed in me, more than I believed in myself.

Luke smiled. He was glad that Percy had come to consider him his best friend, a brother even. But in his heart, he still felt like he had abandoned him.

" Thalia... With you, I felt like I could do anything, even face my destiny. I want you to know that I held you in the highest regard, I respected you more than anyone else and I admired your courage and passion.

Thalia, against all odds, even blushed. It's amazing how even though he's no longer with them, Percy could still produce that feeling in her.

" I wish I could have spent more nights listening to your stories, chatting with you, or just hanging out. I always thought you could become a great writer because of the way you told me those stories. Maybe now you can, since you have a future ahead of you. You all do. Make the most of it, enjoy it, and live it, that's all I want for you. That's why I sacrificed myself... So that all of you have a future. One that you deserve.

" Percy, is something wrong? "Luke's voice was heard within the recording.

"It was then..." Luke whispered in appreciation, remembering finding Percy sitting on the beach in Montauk.

" That's all, guys " Percy's voice came " Take care and live a long life. When we meet in the afterlife, tell me your story. I love you... And goodbye...

The recording stopped, leaving everyone with a mix of feelings ranging from sadness to joy and from regret to gratitude.

Grover and Annabeth, despite feeling sad, were also pleased to have heard Percy's last words.

Luke and Thalia, even with what they had heard, still felt guilt in their hearts. Their friend's words only seemed to sink them further into their state of contemplation of having abandoned their friend. But, despite all that, they felt grateful for Percy's actions.

The only one who didn't feel any relief was Sammy, who looked devastated by everything and simply cried. She cried to try to calm the unbearable pain she felt in her heart for the loss of the person she cared so much about. That she loved so much.

It was quite late at night when Luke left one of the rooms in the Big House and went down to the meeting room, where he saw Thalia, Annabeth, Grover, and Chiron looking at them expectantly.

"She's asleep," Luke said, relieving his friends.

"It's understandable, it hasn't been easy for her," Grover said, his shoulders slumped.

"Not for her, not for us, "Annabeth said.

"You're right," Thalia said, sitting with her elbows propped on the ping-pong table and her hands covering her face. "What we heard was… revealing. I don't blame her if she locks herself away for a few days because of it."

"You're going to do that? "Luke asked, with an arched eyebrow.

Thalia gave a slight, humorless laugh.

"I would like to, but... I don't think it's what Percy would have wanted"Thalia looked at Percy's knife that was placed in front of her on the table". He told us... He did all this to make sure he gave us a future. It would be like spitting on his grave if we don't take advantage of the future he gave us with his sacrifice.

The others smiled sadly at that, sharing their friend's thoughts.

"I think it's time for everyone to go to their cabins," Chiron said."Tomorrow will be your first official day at camp. There's a routine you must follow. Don't worry, your friend will be well taken care of.

"Thank you, Chiron," Luke said.

"No need to, my boy. Tough days lie ahead for all of you.

"Is camp that bad? "Thalia asked.

Chiron shook his head.

"I didn't mean that. I meant learning to live with the pain of losing someone close. It's never easy.

Everyone lowered their heads, somber at his words. But Chiron was right. They had to learn to live with that pain. They just hoped that with time the pain would become more bearable.

With a quick farewell and goodnight wishes, everyone headed to their respective cabins.

It's been three days since they heard Percy's last recorded words.

The three demigods had fallen into a routine, just as Chiron had said. They were taking Ancient Greek lessons from the Athena cabin, which kept Annabeth excited.

Luke had fallen in love with the climbing wall exercise, despite always losing to Grover in the race to get to the top the fastest. He had also nearly lost part of his hair when the lava had almost touched his head.

Luke had been complaining quite a bit that day. Arguing about who in their right mind puts a lava waterfall on a climbing wall. The answer he received was pretty simple, but revealing:

"The Greeks are crazy.

Thalia was delighted with the wrestling lessons in the arena. She had proven her supremacy several times against the sons of Apollo, who tried to take advantage of the "close contact" during the fight.

It must be said that several pitiful moans of broken bones were heard in the infirmary that day. And curses at a daughter of Zeus with terrifying eyes.

Despite only being at camp for three days, four if you counted the days she spent locked in her cabin, Thalia had earned herself a bit of an infamous reputation around camp. Campers would give her sidelong glances and point at her when she wasn't looking, as if she were some sort of specimen they'd never seen before. It didn't help matters that anyone who approached her to try and talk to her was simply met with a cold stare and scathing words.

Another thing that had shocked and put all the campers on alert was that the morning after Percy's tree appeared, a hellhound the size of an adult Saint Bernard was found around said tree.

A group of demigods quickly tried to kill the monster, but were surprised when the dog simply ignored them and laid its head between its paws in a disinterested manner.

Chiron found the hellhound's behavior alarming and curious, but when Luke, Annabeth, Thalia, and Grover showed up, they were able to clear up the situation. Things calmed down when they said that the hellhound was harmless and that they had been traveling with it for weeks.

That fact surprised all the campers. Many looked skeptical, but when Thalia and Annabeth approached the hellhound and scratched him behind the ear they accepted him, but they still looked warily at Ms. O'Leary, as they were told her name.

Now, the hellhound was the unofficial guardian of Percy's Tree, reluctant to leave the foot of the tree under any circumstances. For three days straight, he had been there without moving, and he showed no signs of wanting to do so in the near future. Thalia, Luke, and Annabeth would spend time with her in their free time, but they couldn't get Ms. O'Leary to budge.

At noon on the third day, after morning weapons practice, where Thalia had chosen the spear as her weapon of choice, Luke with his sword Backbiter, and Annabeth with her celestial bronze dagger, the three of them were in the dining pavilion.

As camp rules dictated, everyone had to sit at their respective cabin table. That left Thalia with a whole table to herself, which she really liked. She liked having to eat in peace without anyone interrupting her and wanting to talk to her. Something she had learned from living on the streets for a year was the importance and value of having something to eat. So she enjoyed every bite of her smoked ham and sip of Coke as if it were her last meal. Although the Coke tasted different than she remembered.

It was after they finished lunch that Luke and Annabeth approached her with small portions of food on their plates.

"Here, Thalia," Luke said, placing his portion on Thalia's plate, which still held a piece of ham and a bun. "Maybe you'll have better luck than we did in convincing her to go out for a bit. At least for lunch or dinner."

"She just needs a little time," Annabeth said, also adding her share of food. "We shouldn't push her. Remember, she's the one hurting the most out of us. She was the closest to him."

"I understand that," Thalia said, getting up from her table. "But sooner or later she'll have to come out. She can't stay locked up all the time."

"You did it," Luke reminded him.

"Yes, but only for one day. Sammy hasn't left his room for three days since the night we heard the recording. I'm a little... worried about how he's taking it.

"Me too," Annabeth agreed. "I'm sure that even though she's not a demigoddess, if she gives camp a chance, she'll like it."

"Well, like you said, we have to be patient with her, Luke said. Now that Percy's gone, we're the only ones she has. We have to be there for her.

In her mind, Percy's words echoed.

"Luke... take care of them"

"I'll do it, buddy," he thought determinedly.

"Well, I'll bring her some food then, Thalia said. She'll be hungry since she refused to eat dinner last night.

Thalia walked calmly with a plate of food through the camp towards the Big House. Chiron had given her permission to enter without any problem to talk to Sammy. While Mr. D didn't give a shit.

As she walked, she whistled to herself the tune of "Patience" that she had once heard from Percy. She liked it, and it was a way to remember her beloved friend in a way. She also had in mind to dye the ends of her hair blue. Percy had once confessed to her that blue was his favorite color, which is why he liked her eyes so much.

Remembering that brought a small smile to her face. She still felt a strong pain in her heart from Percy's death, but he gave them a future. Like she had said, she would take advantage of it. And she would never forget the sacrifice Percy had made for all of them. She would learn to live with that pain.

The wooden steps of the Big House groaned lightly under her weight as Thalia climbed to the second floor where Sammy's room was. She found it curious that no one else was staying there, as there were plenty of rooms available.

As far as he knew, Sammy slept in the last room at the end of the hall to the right of the stairs. When he arrived, he knocked lightly on the door to get attention.

"Sammy, are you there? It's me, Thalia. I brought you something to eat. You must be hungry, since Annabeth told me you didn't eat anything last night.

Thalia waited for a few seconds, but heard nothing from the other side of the door. Was it possible that Sammy was still sleeping? It was already past noon.

"Hey, Sammy," he called again, this time knocking on the door harder.

When she received no reply, she grew impatient and decided to go in. She turned the handle and was surprised when it gave way. The door slowly opened with a creaking sound from the hinges. The room was dark because the curtains blocked out the light.

"Hey, Sammy, I think it's time for you to...

Thalia stood completely still, not moving a single muscle. The tray of food fell from her hand with a loud crash, spilling all its contents onto the floor, but she didn't even care.

"Sa... mmy...

Thalia's eyes widened in absolute horror at the scene she witnessed. An image that would stay with her until her final days and would cause her nightmares every time she closed her eyes.

In front of her, in the darkness of the dimly lit room, was Sammy. She was standing upright, her arms at her sides. At her feet, there was a fallen chair, but her feet were two feet above the floor. Her small body, not even five feet tall, was limp... a rope tied around her neck as she hung from a wooden beam in the ceiling.

...

..

.

[T/N: I'll be honest, this book is tyring. I only did a quick sweep over this chapter because it's almost 12000 words long. If I have time I or there are too many mistakes I'll go over it on sunday when I do whatever is needed. If you like this chapter then leave a comment, drop some stones, and write a review! If you want to read some advanced chapters then check out my Patreon!]

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